A complex red with blackcurrants, forest floor and mint. Eucalyptus, too. Love the aromas. Full body with ripe tannins that roll on the palate. Very harmonious and precise. Needs four to five years to come together, but already a joy to taste.

The grapes for the Private Reserve 2015 come from BV Ranches No1 and No2, which were first planted in the early 1900s. Described by head winemaker Trevor Durling as ‘small in yield, but mighty in concentration (15.5% alcohol)’, additions of 4% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec joined the 90% Cabernet to further enhance the wine’s aroma and flavour profile. Dense in colour, the 2015 expresses superbly the intensity of Napa Cabernet along with hints of mint and spice. It’s surprisingly fresh on the palate with total absence of over-extraction, the fruit, oak and tannins being in perfect harmony, leading to a firm and polished finish. This is historical Napa at its very best. (Drink between 2020-2035)

The flagship is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve, a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, and 3% each of Petit Verdot and Malbec aged in 90% new French oak. Deep purple-colored, with a brilliant bouquet of crème de cassis, blueberries, graphite, and smoked herbs, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, terrific purity, and building tannins, which become even more apparent with extended air time (I followed this bottle for multiple days). This is the real deal and count me impressed. It's approachable today thanks to its purity and balance, but given its old-school, classic feel, I've no doubt it's going to evolve for 2-3 decades.

A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 4% Merlot, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels, 90% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it offers a profound nose of baked blackberries, Black Forest cake, Christmas pudding and Chinese five spice with hints of rose hip tea, cedar chest and mincemeat pie. Full-bodied, super rich and wonderfully concentrated, the palate provides a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins, finishing long and spicy. At 15% alcohol, it is a beautifully rich, ripe, opulent expression with bags of compelling freshness to offset all that decadence. - LPB

Succuent in concentration and texture, clear eucalyptus aromatics alongside peony floral notes. This is juicy from the first moment, with a lightness to it despite the concentration. Rich and velvety texture, the tannins are confident but classic. Still young, very much in the generous Napa style, but this has a focus on the finish, with delicious dried herbs, touches of tar, dark cherry, sour plum, broad shouldered but balanced, full of promise and depth. 3.7ph. Low yields in this vintage, 30-40% down across the vineyards, harvested a little earlier than usual because of the heat, meaning small berries with lots of concentration. First vintage assembled by winemaker Trevor Durling.