Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Pure perfection in Cabernet, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Alejandro Bulgheroni is all varietal and comes two-thirds from Oakville with the balance from sites in St. Helena and Rutherford. Aged 20 months in 70% new French oak and put together by Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland, it has an incredibly pure, full-bodied, massive yet weightless style that I suspect couldn’t be achieved anywhere outside of Napa Valley. Cassis, blackberries, leafy herbs, lead pencil shavings, and tobacco leaf are just some of the nuances here, and it’s full-bodied, deep, and concentrated on the palate while maintaining an ethereal, seamless, utterly perfect balance between its fruit, alcohol, tannins, and acidity. As good as it gets, it needs just 2-4 years in the cellar and will evolve gracefully for at least 20-25 years.

James Suckling (100)

Wow! The aromas to this are really exceptional, with a tangerine edge to the blackcurrants, graphite, lead pencil, flowers and wet earth. It changes all the time. So expressive and refined. Full-bodied with great intensity and depth of fruit. The ultra-fine tannins display millions of layers. The texture on the palate is superb and lasts for minutes. This is the new 1974 George de Latour, which was a legend. Real Napa Valley red here. Drinkable now, to understand it, but truly great in five to six years and onwards. Benchmark.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2019 Vecina is pure perfection, with a full-bodied, rich, concentrated, yet ultra-pure style that literally stopped me in my tracks. Cassis, currants, graphite, iron, violets, and spicy oak are just some of the nuances here, and this beauty is perfectly balanced, with that rare mix of richness and elegance. This world-class, regal, incredibly impressive Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will benefit from 5-7 years of bottle age and keep for three decades.

Vinous (100)

The 2016 Proprietary Red Wine Sage Mountain Vineyard may very well be the single greatest vintage made here thus far. It is quite simply a stunning wine and a towering achievement from the Mondavi family. Powerful, ample and sweeping in stature, the 2016 boasts breathtaking intensity in all of its dimensions. I see the pure, vibrant fruit of the 2013, but with more finessed tannins that add to the wine's feeling of real sensuality. Bright, precise and finely sculpted with remarkable persistence and perfectly integrated tannins, the 2016 is positively stellar - not to mention one of the wines of the vintage.

Wine Advocate (100)

A blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 8% Cabernet Franc aged in 40% new oak, the 2016 Proprietary Red Wine is deep purple-black in color and quite reticent at this youthful stage to begin, offering up subtle notions of potpourri, Indian spices, cigar box and iron ore over a core of crushed blackberries and black cherries with intermittent wafts of black and red currants, new leather and smoked meats. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a densely packed mid-palate and oodles of freshness framed by very ripe, finely grained tannins and laced with compelling earthy accents. It offers incredible vibrancy with tons of black and red fruit sparkle in the mid-palate leading to a provocative mineral element on the very long finish. If I could give more than 100 for this one, I would. To be released in May 2019.

The Wine Independent (100)

Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2019 Dominus was harvested from September 29 to October 10. It was aged in 40% new oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose slowly unfurls to unveil beguiling floral notes of candied violets and rose oil over a core of crème de cassis, blackberry pie, and plum preserves, giving way to notions of licorice, Indian spices, iron ore, and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with taut, muscular black fruit layers, intertwined with gorgeous floral and exotic spice accents, and framed by firm, finely grained tannins with seamless freshness, finishing long and mineral-laced. Tightly coiled with so much latent energy waiting to explode, this is a spectacular expression of the vintage and Napanook vineyard. Still tightly coiled, give it a good 6-7 years in the cellar before broaching, and allow it a few hours in a decanter if consumed before 2032. 3500 cases were made, to be released in May 2022.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Stunning on every level, the 2018 Proprietary Red Wine reveals a dense purple hue as well as an incredible bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, crushed stone, iron, violets, and tobacco. Reminding me of a hypothetical blend of Ducru Beaucaillou and Pontet Canet from a great, classical vintage (or a more elegant version of the 2013 for simplicity), it's medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced, powerful yet elegant, and has a finish that won't quit. This is pure gold in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s already drinkable yet will benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and have 40 years of prime drinking.

The Wine Independent (100)

The 2019 Harlan Estate is deep garnet-purple in color. It swans out of the glass with graceful notions of fresh blackberries and boysenberries, leading to a core of blackcurrant pastilles and licorice, followed by suggestions of spice cake, dusty soil, cinnamon stick, and Sichuan pepper. The rich, black-fruited, full-bodied palate is sparked with electric black berry and earthy accents, framed by exquisitely ripe tannins and compelling tension, finishing long and earthy. Stunning!

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2018 Estate Cuvee checks 45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot brought up in 90% new French oak. Tasting like the straight Cab, yet with more sex appeal, it offers a huge nose of crème de cassis, white flowers, crushed stone, graphite, and crushed flowers. This carries to a full-bodied, gorgeously textured red with incredible balance, no hard edges, a thrilling mid-palate, and a great, great finish. It's going to benefit from 5-6 years of bottle age and keep for upwards of two decades or more. Hats off to winemaker Stephan Asseo on another incredible wine, as well as, I suspect the wine of the vintage.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Pure perfection from Paso Robles, the 2019 Estate Cuvee checks in as 50% Syrah, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Petit Verdot that was raised in 81% new French oak. Incredible cassis and black berry fruits as well as violets, chocolate, graphite, and who knows what else emerges from the glass, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a concentrated yet weightless mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s more seamless and approachable than the more backward, structured 2018 and will have two decades of prime drinking.

Wine Advocate (100)

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is as compelling a Cabernet Sauvignon as one could ever hope to taste. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a high-elevation site boasts an inky/purple color, and smells of ink, blueberry liqueur, blackberries, black raspberries, mulberries, licorice, charcoal and camphor. With magnificent fruit richness, a layered, full-bodied mouthfeel, and incredible length, this seamlessly constructed 2012 should provide immense pleasure for 25+ years. Kudos to winemaker Chris Carpenter as he is clearly at the top of his game.

Decanter (100)

I love the 2012, but honestly the 2013 just has the edge, because it is just as concentrated and full of fruit but acidity and floral nuance balances out the richness. Dark deep rosemary spice and black olive paste deepens the flavours through the mid-palate and you just have to hang on as this goes spiralling through, drawing the flavours out to a lengthy finish. 2% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 18 days skin contact.

Wine Advocate (100)

The second perfect score I have given to a Hobbs Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (the other was the 2002), the 2013 is as spectacular as his 2002 was. There are 638 cases of this massive wine that comes across like a first-growth Pauillac. Lead pencil shavings, cedar wood, blueberry and blackberry liqueur as well as hints of forest floor and tobacco leaf are all present in this fragrant, sumptuously textured, full-bodied, massively rich yet sensationally well-balanced Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a finish of well over 55 seconds. This is amazing work, and interestingly, I believe Hobbs was the first to offer a Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard designated Cabernet Sauvignon.

Vinous (100)

I knew it was only a matter of time before Davide Cilli would make a wine at Promontory that would represent the maximum expression of this rugged hillside site. The 2014 Promontory has been exceptional in the past, but it has also gained another gear or two over the last year, which is pretty much now standard for these wines. Stunningly delineated and precise, with tremendous purity and exceptional balance, the 2014 Promontory dazzles from start to finish. This is an especially translucent style, one that is more about persistence and balance than power alone. Stated simply, the 2014 Promontory is towering achievement from one of Napa Valley's most talented young winemakers. Kudos to the Harlan family and the winegrowing team led by Bob Levy and Cory Empting for creating the framework that allowed Cilli to craft this exquisite, riveting Cabernet Sauvignon.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Pure perfection in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Scarecrow’s 2018 reveals a dense purple hue as well as an incredible bouquet of pure crème de cassis, toasted spices, chocolate, darker currants, and graphite. This carries to a full-bodied, dense, off-the-charts sexy 2018 that has the vintage’s purity and freshness backed up by flawless balance, a layered mouthfeel, and building yet elegant tannins. This cuvée is hard to resist given its texture and wealth of fruit, but it will ideally be given 3-5 years and should evolve for 30 years or more.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Pure perfection from Napa Valley, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is, as always, all Cabernet Sauvignon from an incredible site in Rutherford that spent 21 months in 70% new French oak. Incredible aromatics of crème de cassis, darker currants, smoke, tobacco, and assorted floral notes all define the bulk of the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied, with a multi-dimensional, layered texture, ultra-fine tannins, and perfect balance. This is such a magical site, and this wine consistently checks in with the greatest wines of the world. It already offers pleasure yet should have 30 years of overall longevity. Hats off to winemaker Celia Welch and the team at Scarecrow.

Wine Advocate (100)

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Screaming Eagle soars out of the glass with vibrant notions of ripe blackberries, black cherries and fresh red and black currants plus wafts of licorice, candied violets, cedar chest and clove oil with a beguiling touch of sea spray. Medium-bodied with jaw-dropping elegance, the palate is finely textured and yet built like a brick house with a super taut backbone and exquisitely knit acidity. The intense black and red fruit flavors are accented by layers of mineral and floral notions, finishing with incredible length and depth. Undeniably stunning. “I loved it!” winemaker Nick Gislason told me when I asked him for his thoughts on the 2018 vintage. “Everything is just really perfumey with a lot of verve and a lot of freshness. It’s a wholesome vintage, if that makes sense? The canopies were big and healthy; there was a lot of life in the vineyard. After 2017, it felt like the bloom that comes afterward.” He went on to say, "We made a little 2017 red. Only four barrels of the Cab! Ten barrels of The Flight. Only from grapes that came in before the fires—mainly Merlot and a couple of blocks of Cabernet." Whereas Screaming Eagle is mainly sourced from Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the western side of the estate, there is one plot of old Merlot (1980s plantings) on the eastern side of the vineyard that continually makes the backbone of this Second Flight/The Flight. This is planted on very gravelly, well-drained soils. Gislason explained, “The Cabernet Sauvignon for The Flight is always about being fresh, light and perfumey, without the firmer tannins that Cabernet can sometimes give. There is a ‘fresh’ end of the property that this tends to come from. There is some other Merlot on the other side of the property that doesn’t have the acidity, perfume or brightness we’re looking for. We don’t use this in The Flight.”

Jeb Dunnuck (La Joie) (100)

Another perfect wine is the 2016 La Joie, which is 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot sourced all from the estate vineyards in the Pocket Peak portion of the Alexander Valley. This full-bodied, powerful yet elegant Cabernet Sauvignon couldn’t be better and has incredible purity, layers of crème de cassis, white flowers, tobacco leaf, and flowers, a deep, multi-dimensional texture, and loads of ultra-fine tannins. I’d confidently put this up against any Cabernet Sauvignon in the world. As with the La Muse, it has the balance, purity, and class to drink spectacularly well even today, but it’s another wine that will benefit from a decade of cellaring and keep for 40-50 years.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Including the highest percentage of Merlot (at the moment anyway), the 2016 La Muse checks in as 93% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and the balance Malbec that spent 15-16 months in roughly 90% new French oak. This magical wine shows how good Merlot (and Sonoma) can be and offers extraordinary notes of crushed violets, spring flowers, scorched earth, graphite, black cherries, and crème de cassis. As elegant and seamless as they come, it’s full-bodied, perfectly balanced, has an incredible spine of acidity and tannins, and a finish that won’t quit. It has the class and purity to drink well even today, but it’s not going to hit prime time for at least another decade and will keep for 3-4 decades. Bravo!