A big bruiser, blockbuster of a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve boasts a dense purple color as well as a mammoth-sized bouquet of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, roasted herbs, and lead pencil. Thick, rich, and full-bodied on the palate, it has a great mid-palate, building yet bright, polished tannins, and a great finish. It’s one big mouthful of fruit at the moment, but it will develop more elegance and nuance with 2-4 years of bottle age, and I suspect it will have two decades of overall longevity.

This is an extrovert, with singed vanilla, mocha and violet notes gilding a ripe, lush core of plum, blackberry and black currant fruit. Ends with a frankly toasty tug on the licorice- and fruit-filled finish. A bit amped up in style, but will have fans for sure. Best from 2022 through 2035. — J.M.