(98+ points) The 2021 Dominus is a 3,700-case blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, with 40% of the wine matured in new French oak. Black cherries and cassis lead the way, accented by scents of crushed...

Super savoury and terrifically precise aromatics reveal capsicum and dried sage, bay leaf and blood orange citrus, cocoa nibs and dried violets dusted with white pepper. Plump and unabashedly full-bodied, with voluminous...

The star of the show is the 2022 Ontogeny, a broad, layered, richly textured 2022 that has gorgeous cassis and blue fruits as well as integrated oak, some classic Cabernet graphite, iron, and smoked tobacco. It’s rich...

Vivid cherry red, medium intensity, pared back and moreish. Enticing charred plum and spiced black cherry, restrained and savoury, chalky tannins, good lift through the palate without losing the creaminess of the fruit, a...

The 2021 Paradise Hills Vineyard Proprietary Red is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.8% Merlot, 2.9% Cabernet Franc, and 2.3% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the glass with pure notes of...

The 2018 Proprietary Red Paradise Hills Vineyard has really shut down since I tasted it last year. Energetic and vibrant, the 2018 sizzles with all of the energy of this cool, late-ripening vintage. Time in the glass...

All these 2016s from winemaker Graeme MacDonald are straight-up brilliant wines. Starting with the 2016 Proprietary Red, which is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it...

This is dense and still tightly wound, with hints of dried iris, sweet bay and tobacco leaf peeking out from a core of dark currant preserves and plum reduction. The long finish shows wet earth and cast iron accents that...

Packs warmed cassis and plum reduction notes coated in melted black licorice. Gains good cut from a fresh tobacco edge, showing loamy drive through the finish. Solid. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit...

The 2020 Hora is a powerful, driving wine. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, licorice, rose petal, spice, gravel and incense add to an impression of somber gravitas. Ideally, the aromatics could be more focused, but the 2020...

A generous burst of blackberry and mulberry fruit leads the way but is quickly caught from behind by cast iron, dried sage and singed mesquite notes. The fruit keeps pace with the grippy back end, and there’s solid...

A blend of Merlot, Petit Sirah, Malbec, and other varieties, the 2022 HG III is a juicy, medium-bodied, wonderfully delicious red that has pretty red and black fruits, some nicely integrated background oak, soft tannins...

The 2021 Hora is the entry-level wine from the Cathiards’ estate in Napa, and it’s a balanced, medium to full-bodied, impressive wine offering ample red and black currant fruit, nicely integrated oak, a round, layered...

Potent and dense, with brooding flavors of blackberry and cherry accented by bitter chocolate, cracked pepper and savory meat tones as this builds tannins on the finish. Grenache, Syrah and Petit Sirah. Best after 2025...

A supple, flavorful, sleek and densely fruity wine on a full body. The tannins seem to build on the palate, giving a little textural grip to raspberry and red and black cherry flavors and attractive oak spices like...

The 2021 Founding Brothers is brilliant and has a certain Saint Julien-like style in its pure cassis, graphite, smoky tobacco, and floral aromas and flavors. These carry to a full-bodied 2021 that's beautifully...

(93+ points) A strong effort, the 2019 Mernet Reserve—a 50-50 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, aged in one-third new oak, delivers plenty of almost grapey fruit, cassis and black cherries, underscored by hints of...

Pahlmeyer's 2022 Proprietary Red is only 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance comprising 4% each Cabernet Franc and Merlot and 3% each Malbec and Petit Verdot. It spent 18 months in 90% new French oak. According to...

This lets copious boysenberry and blackberry puree notes glide through, while melted licorice, sweet toast and warmed fruitcake accents fill in through the generous finish. A crowd-pleasing style. Drink now through 2031...

The 2022 Papillon Red Wine is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% each Malbec and Syrah, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot. It also includes a bit more than 5% of 2021 vintage wine, so it is labeled as...

A lovely blush that's refined and festive, with vibrant strawberry, orange blossom and cherry flavors that glide on the refreshing finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now. - TF

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2021 IX Estate needs a lot of shaking to wake up notes of warm cassis, boysenberries, and juicy plums, giving way to nuances of iron ore, wild sage, tapenade, and lilacs. The full-bodied...

This is packed, offering a core of steeped black currant, plum sauce and blackberry reduction that plays wonderfully with a set of sweet bay, chestnut leaf and dried violet aromatics. Underneath is support in the form of...

A blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Zinfandel, 13% Malbec, 10% Merlot, 6% Syrah and 5% Petite Sirah, Paraduxx's 2021 Proprietary Red Wine is the winery's main offering. Marked by scents of cherries and berries, with a...

Generous yet steely at the core, with fragrant raspberry, rose petal and gingerbread accents that dance on the long, zesty finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now. 15,750 cases made.

A 550-case blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 Eliza's Red Wine offers up hints of tobacco leaf and peppery spice allied to black cherries and loam. It's full-bodied and rich, with a velvety...

A heady, dark, slightly rustic offering, this is full-bodied and packed with warmed fig and black currant fruit that tumbles through, with a mix of alder smoke, chestnut leaf, black sesame and cast iron. Its dense and...