The 2021 Galatrona is a fine follow-up to the 2020. In most vintages, Galatrona is very showy right out of the gate. That is not at all the case with the 2021, a wine that is going to need a number of years to be at its...

Wild blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, tobacco and dark spice on the nose. Dried violets, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, powdery tannins and a creamy texture. Intense, yet restrained and refined, with a...

A really refined, expressive and layered Clos Apalta with fine olives, incense, cigar box, cocoa powder, Spanish chocolate, pencil shavings, graphite and fine spices. Juicy, bright and full-bodied palate with a fine...

Love the perfume and finesse here with fresh flowers, blackberries, crushed stones and cement. Cedar. Full and very long with tight and muscular tannins that go on for minutes. Tight and thoughtful. Soulful. Try after 2030.

Subtle aromas of lemon rind, herbs, stones and hints of cedar. Medium body with fresh acidity. It has volume and weight on the palate with a well-rounded core of green apples, herbs and dried lemons. Focused and vertical...

Both agile and relaxed, this well-balanced, vibrant and concentrated wine carries layers of crisp apple, pastry crust and lemon curd on snappy acidity that complements a fairly rich texture and medium body. Its...

The Doc's Ranch, as Ross explains, sits just on the other side of a ridgeline from the Coastlands Vineyard, it benefits from the southeastern exposure, and the coastal winds are buffetted by the ridgeline. A stunning...

The Uccelliera 2017 Brunello di Montalcino does a great job showcasing that extra power and brawn of the vintage and the richer textural structure of the southern side of the appellation. The bouquet is up front and...

This full, fruity wine is packed with acidity as well as ripeness. It has a fresh black-currant character, and the structure underneath is strong. It will develop relatively quickly, but then could hold at its peak for...

This 2019 Caiarossa Caiarossa is a fascinating blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, and Alicante. It has a deep purple, ruby color and a hedonistic, dense, fragrant nose of...

Bright, vibrant ruby red. Compact nose of rich cherries, black truffle, some pepper, plenty of rich berry fruit in the background ; blackberry and cassis. Densely woven on the palate, with beautiful texture and punchy...

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple colored, it sails out of the glass with energetic scents of fresh...

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is quite a bit more elegant than most wines in this vintage. Silky tannins and floral top notes make a strong first impression. Plum, spice and sweet tobacco are nicely lifted by bright acids...

A modern slanting wine, the 2018 Brunello Di Montalcino is lush with wooded spices, smoky cigar box, preserved cherry, sweet tobacco, and dried roses. It is full-bodied on the palate but has a compact structure, with ripe...

I was also able to taste the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is an utterly classic Napa Cabernet with its layered, expansive mouthfeel and majestic style. Red and black currants, savory herbs, tobacco, new leather, and...

The 2017 Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard didn't show any heat or excess ripeness from a warm and dry year. On the contrary, it's austere and has citrus acidity, with great freshness and minerality. The palate is...

Inky depths to the colour, this is powerful, full of character. Grilled sandalwood oak notes are dominant on the attack, with the bitter almond and cracked black pepper on the finish not just welcome but essential to...

Lastly, the 2021 The Bard checks in as 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah. This beauty has a killer bouquet of cassis, spring flowers, graphite, chalky...

The 2019 Red Estate is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot from the higher elevations of the Figgins estate. The 2019 is cool and collected in the glass, with soaring floral aromatics and minty herbs...

The 8,000-case 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley goes largely to distribution and has to be one of the great values in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon out there. Classic darker currants, tobacco, chocolate, and some...

(VN 94-96 points) Inky violet. A wild, smoke- and spice-accented bouquet evokes kirsch, cassis, smoked meat, olive and succulent herbs, with mineral and floral notes emerging as the wine opens up. Firm, sharply etched...

The 2014 IX Estate is deep garnet-black in color. Scents of creme de cassis, plum preserves, and blackberry pie jump from the glass, followed by suggestions of incense, iron ore, and camphor with a waft of dark chocolate...

A full and layered red with lots of plums and chocolate with dark chocolate and crushed stones. Full and layered. From old dry-farmed, head-pruned merlot and cabernet sauvignon vines, all Calistoga. From the owner of...

A fine, mature and structured Champagne, this is full of fruit but also with a crispness. Its mineral character has softened but still gives a fine texture. This fine wine, with fruit from the Côte des Blancs, is ready to...

A rich ruby/purple, the 2021 Pinot Noir Land's Edge Vineyards is ripe and rounded with a perfume of blackberry preserve, damp forest floor, and toasted baking spice. Full-bodied, but with clean lift and without weight, it...

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Wraith is so floral, with scents of roses and violets over a core of black and red currant jelly, Morello cherries, and wild blueberries plus hints of cardamom, cumin seed, and forest...

Mineral, macadamia, pine nuts, white sesame and white fruit with a touch of spice. A bright and linear Capellania that shows excellent tension, freshness and complexity. Long and appetizing finish. More taut and...

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Sunset Block emerges from one of the newer parcels planted during the large redevelopment here that started in 2014. It shows a bit more brightness and energy than the main Cabernet bottling...

(WE94-96 points) Big and powerful this is a wine that is supported by dense tannins. The feeling is dry and firm with a brooding black-currant character.