The 2019 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon comes mainly from the Wallis Vineyard, located at around 1,100 feet and consisting of gravelly loam. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is fairly closed to start off, soon revealing earthy scents of truffles, crushed rocks, and forest floor over a core of cassis and blackberry preserves plus a hint of tar. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is firmly structured with ripe, grainy tannins and stunning freshness supporting the tightly wound fruit, finishing long and savory.

The 2019 Red Wine is made from 67% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 0.5% Malbec, and 0.5% Petit Verdot, with all 4 mountains in the blend. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slowly unfurls to deliver a provocative perfume of chocolate-covered cherries, rose oil, and star anise with hints of violets, fallen leaves, forest floor, and dusty soil. Full-bodied, the palate has the most beautiful, silky tannins and well-integrated freshness supporting the perfumed fruit, finishing long and mineral-laced.

The 2019 Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon comes mostly from the Wurtle vineyard near the bottom of Spring Mountain, which the Jackson family had been farming and has now purchased. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a tad shut down to begin, revealing notes of crushed blackcurrants, boysenberries, and fresh plums with hints of dried herbs and iron ore. Full-bodied, the palate delivers a firm, grainy texture and well-knit freshness, featuring vibrant black fruits and a long, lifted finish.

A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Sycamore Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color. It sashays out of the glass with gorgeous floral notions of candied violets and lilacs over creme de cassis and blueberry compote notes with wafts of Morello cherries and Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastically ripe, fine-grained tannins and wonderful tension supporting the ethereal black and red fruit layers, finishing long and perfumed. 2,000 cases were made. The soil is more of a clay loam at Sycamore, at the end of Bella Oaks lane, only about a quarter of a mile from Bosche vineyard, and also on the west side of the Valley.

Complex from the very first moment. Aromas of blueberries, red and dark cherries, sappy and herbal notes, as well as hard brown spices, blackcurrants and violets. The palate has such succulent and energetic style, with red and dark cherries and blueberries sitting in a very complete and layered, fine brand of tannin. The depth and plushness are both impressive. Drink over the next eight years. Screw cap.

Brashly spicy and complex, this has aromas of espresso, blueberries, toasted spices and grilled bread, as well as forest wood and violets. The palate delivers alluring depth and a round, fleshy build. Acidity explodes on the finish, releasing fresh red-cherry and blueberry fruit flavors. Wonderfully layered and complete. Drink over the next eight years. Screw cap.

The 2019 W S Keyes Chardonnay was aged for 24 months in oak, 10% of it new oak puncheons, with no malolactic and lees stirring to give texture. It pops with lively lemon curd, fresh grapefruit, and lime blossom notes with suggestions of blanched almonds and mandarin peel. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is super intense, with amazing tension and fantastic length with loads of mineral sparks.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, sourced mainly from Keyes and La Jota vineyards. Deep garnet-purple in color, it storms out of the glass with notes of blackcurrant pastilles, plum preserves, and chocolate-covered cherries with hints of tar, cedar chest, and cardamom. Full-bodied, the palate is solidly constructed with a rock-solid texture of grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the tightly wound fruit, finishing with loads of shimmery mineral sparks. 6,825 cases were made. While the 2018 is bright and floral, 2019 has more of the savory character. Every vintage has a personality, and 2019 is definitely more sultry.

The 2018 Cabernet Bosche Rutherford is composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes galloping out with energetic notes of blackcurrant cordial, stewed black cherries, and black raspberries, plus hints of pencil shavings, black olives, camphor, and fragrant earth. Full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid structure of super firm, ripe, tannins and compelling freshness supporting the intense, youthful fruit, finishing long with a skip in its step. It should age very well! 2,200 cases were made. The wine takes its name from the Bosche vineyard situated in the Rutherford Bench, which features deep gravelly soil and a seasonal underground stream that feeds the vines in the spring and dries up in the summer.

The 2019 Cabernet Franc is a blend of 79% Cabernet Franc and 21% Merlot. From Spring Mountain and Diamond Mountain, this Cabernet Franc is very different from what Carpenter makes at La Jota or Mt. Brave. Deep garnet-purple in color, it delivers gorgeous notes of red roses and lavender over a core of ripe redcurrants, black raspberries, and mulberries with suggestions of underbrush, damp slate, and pencil shavings. The medium to full -bodied palate reveals a compelling texture of super-pixilated tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fragrant.

This has aromas of cassis, plums, oranges, milk chocolate, bay leaves and clay. So juicy and succulent, with a medium body and firm, creamy tannins. Pretty hazelnut and chocolate character at the end. Long and elegant. Drink or hold.

Fresh, brambly and fragrant, this has aromas of blueberry and red plum with a very chiseled palate that winds fine tannin around an elegant core of red-cherry fruit flavor. So focused and elegant. Drink over the next six years. Screw cap.

This has such effortless depth and impressive measure. It delivers aromas of ripe red and dark plums with slate and blackberries, framed in fresh, subtly spicy and cedary oak. The palate is packed with ripe red plums, red cherries and mulberries, as well as deeper blueberries and darker plums. The power is innate and the palate so focused. Elegant and pure. Drink over the next decade or more. Screw cap.

Aka Giant Wombat. It’s worth going to the Giant Steps website just to see the pic of the Wombat Creek Vineyard – here – and how it’s quite literally cut out of forest. As a general rule with the Giant Steps single vineyard Pinot Noir “We try to do as much whole bunch as we can get away with. Wombat and Primavera are on red soil. Applejack and Sexton are on grey soil. Wombat (MV6) 2021 is entirely whole bunch/the rest are roughly 50/50.” This release is taut, spicy, herbal and sure. Wonderfully savoury and wonderfully good. Fruit pushes through the savouriness without ever taking over. Perfume, this is aflame with it. Tannin, in sheets, inscribed with the finest handwritten flavours. A wonderful wine, pure Upper Yarra, detail and texture, perfume and flavour, mouthwatering red cherry and cranberry fruit with salty, silty tannin and fragrant herbs/flowers wafting over. The power of the light touch.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec. Deep garnet-purple in color, it features bold notions of warm cassis, plum preserves, and mulberries with touches of tree bark, dried mint, and chocolate box. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has wonderfully fine-grained tannins and bright acidity supporting the vibrant, crunchy black fruits, finishing long and energetic.

The 2019 Cabernet Franc comes 50/50 from the Keyes vineyard, with old vines dating back to 1976, and La Jota vineyard. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a little subdued to begin, opening out to reveal notes of redcurrant jelly, fresh blackberries, and black cherries, plus hints of charcoal, underbrush, and red roses with a touch of crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is finely grained with superb freshness and electric intensity, finishing with amazing length and shimmering energy.

There’s a very approachable feel to this pinot, with aromas of blueberries, blackcurrants and sweet hard spices, such as star anise. The palate has a polished feel, with a plush texture and a plump blueberry and black-cherry core. Drink over the next six years. Screw cap.

The 2019 Cabernet Franc is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs a little swirling to unlock notes of stewed red plums, baked blackberries, and Morello cherries with hints of bouquet garni, pencil lead, and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is bright, refreshing, elegant, and refined with loads of subtle black and red fruit layers and a mineral-laced finish.

The 2018 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it is a little closed to begin, soon unfurling to offer notes of warm cassis, blackberry preserves, and mulberries, with an undercurrent of dusty soil, fallen leaves, iron ore, and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is soft and juicy, with plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with beautiful harmony.

The 2018 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon comes from vines just in front of the Cardinale winery. Deep garnet-purple in color, it soars out with vivacious notes of blackcurrant jelly, baked plums, and boysenberry preserves, leading to suggestions of cedar chest, unsmoked cigars, crushed rocks, and black truffles. The medium to full-bodied palate has a firm frame of finely grained tannins and oodles of freshness supporting the muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy.

This medium gold colored Chardonnay opens with a grilled pineapple and golden delicious apple bouquet with hints of melon and toasted oak. On the palate, this wine is full bodied with medium acidity. The mouthfeel is nicely balanced, unctuous, and rich. The flavor profile is a flinty minerality, gentle mango, and white peach blend with notes of Meyer lemon. We also detected hints of nutmeg, sautéed mushrooms, butter, and subtle oak. The finish drifts away nicely. The Tasting Panel would pair Chard with bay scallop casserole.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Malbec charges out of the gate with expressive notes of baked blackberries, stewed plums, and black raspberries, plus hints of tar, dark chocolate, and fertile loam. Full-bodied, the palate has a sturdy frame of grainy tannins and tons of freshness supporting the generous fruit, finishing long and savory.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Merlot wafts easily out of the glass with notes of juicy red plums, bay leaves, and tilled soil, plus hints of cracked pepper and wild fungi. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is taut with muscular, youthful fruit and firm, rounded tannins, finishing long and earthy.

A blend of 82% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot, and 7% Tannat, the 2019 Merlot is deep garnet-purple in color. It leaps with savory notions of black olives, dried herbs, and charcuterie over a core of redcurrant jelly, cassis, and ripe black plums. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black fruits with lifted red berry flavors and a firm, grainy texture, finishing long and refreshing. 1,038 cases were made. Sadly the six rows of Tannat that went into this were frozen and killed last year, so there will be no Tannat in the blend going forward for a while.

The 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, and 1% Cabernet Franc, predominately sourced from Oakville with some fruit from Rutherford, Yountville, Oak Knoll, Atlas Peak, and Howell Mountain. Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps with bold expressions of blackberry preserves, cassis, and wild blueberries, plus hints of menthol and forest floor with a spicy waft of cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied, the palate is bright and crunchy with impressive intensity and nice ripe, grainy tannins, finishing with a minty lift.