Napa Valley’s Thrilling 2018s & 2019s, Part 1 The 2018 Malbec opens with a rush of inky red/purplish fruit, rose petals, lavender and spice. Rich, pliant and super-expressive, the 2018 is a winner in this range from Mt. Brave. All the elements come together beautifully in this sumptuous, structured Malbec. I would cellar the 2018 for at least a few years. It's a gorgeous wine.

Napa Valley’s Thrilling 2018s & 2019s, Part 1 The 2018 Cabernet Franc is fabulous. Like all of these wines, the La Jota Franc is a wine from Howell Mountain first and foremost. Black cherry, gravel, spice, leather, licorice and intense mineral notes infuse the Franc with so much energy and character. I would give the tannins a few years to soften. This is another super distinctive, ample wine from La Jota. The oak is a bit prominent at this stage, but it dissipates with time as more red-toned Franc nuances emerge.

Napa Valley’s Thrilling 2018s & 2019s, Part 1 The 2018 W.S. Keyes Chardonnay is so distinctive. Bright, translucent and full of energy, the 2018 sizzles with tension. Blocking the malolactic fermentation brings out a range of citrus and mineral flavors. Lemon oil, crushed rocks, mint and sage open up in the glass, but it is the wine's textural feel and mountain character that impress most. Don't miss it.

Napa Valley’s Thrilling 2018s & 2019s, Part 1 The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford) is another impressive wine in this range. Broad, ample and richly textured, the 2017 is fabulous. Dark red cherry, mocha, licorice, chocolate, spice and a bit of new oak all build as this sumptuous, medium to full-bodied wine opens in the glass. There's real presence and character. A dollop of Petit Verdot from Red Barn rounds out the blend.

Refined and structured, this red is enveloped in supple, multilayered cherry and raspberry flavors that pull in orange blossom and spiced tea accents, unfolding toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2028.

Opens with a silky texture and then finds an intense beam of loamy acidity and savory tannins that are framed by spirited cherry and basil blossom accents and build richness and tension on the finish. Drink now through 2029.

The 2018 Sauvignon Blanc (Knights Valley) is bright and assertive. Citrus peel, sage, tomato leaf, white pepper and crushed rocks all race out of the glass. This is an especially steely, grassy wine that is best enjoyed at the dinner table. I especially admire its translucent and saline-infused energy. This is a reference-point wine that shows why Knights Valley is such a magical place for growing grapes and making wine.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Monolith is a dense, powerful wine. Beams of tannin wrap around a core of rich fruit. Inky, deep and layered in the glass, the 2017 offers tremendous richness allied to the structure that is such a signature of these wines.

That rare domestic rosé that captures the vibrant acidity of Champagne, offering delicate strawberry, raspberry flavors laced with steely minerality and sprinkle of graham cracker on the finish. Drink now through 2022.

There are not many noses in this line-up of 54 wines that I find more appealing: rich (but not unctuous) fruit, touches of earth, hints of vanilla. The palate did not disappoint. Great fruit, acidity, and verve. Yeah, I can do this all day long and twice on Sunday. Outstanding.

Napa Valley Cabernet: Best Mount Veeder 2018 winesThe winemaking precision of Chris Carpenter as his team is apparent across all their projects regardless of price point, making the Mt. Brave Howell Mountain particularly impressive as a relative value proposition. Soft but ripe red fruits and briar on the nose. Rich, energetic and attractively dry on the finish. Punches above its weight across all metrics of power, complexity, length, and intrigue. 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, 1.5% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec.

Napa Valley Cabernet: Best Howell Mountain 2018 winesLa Jota’s Howell Mountain bottling is a distinctively pure and floral. The nose is loaded with ripe blue fruit and fresh purple flowers centered around a dense core of power. As structured as it is, there is a fantastic refinement to the tannin structure and softness to the acidity. A great example of a modern mountain-sourced Napa Cabernet-based blend. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot.

A dark heart of black fruit centers this complex and well-balanced wine. Enticing, spicy clove, cedar and earth aromas lead to a supersmooth but well-structured palate that reveals black-cherry, rhubarb and black-tea nuances. It’s distinctive and should age well in the mid-term. Best from 2023.

If you're looking for a quality pinot noir to drink right now then look no further. This is all about fragrance, juiciness, fruit and flow, a myriad of spice-riddled flavours running wild and free through the palate. It puts a smile on your face; it's joyous. It has tang, smoke, spice and autumn leaf notes thrown through a core of red and black cherry. It's not heavy or profound but it delivers.

Elegant and distinctive, offering fresh raspberry, sage and white pepper notes that are precise, supple and juicy, with a thread of fresh loam and forest floor, supported by polished tannins. A touch of matcha green tea lingers on the finish.

Full crimson-purple; a powerful wine with red and purple fruits, bramble and whole bunch tannins all tumbling along the palate, but doing so in synergy with each other. Needs a few years in the cellar.

Powerful yet restrained, offering creamy notes of fresh wild strawberry, red licorice, toasted cumin and violet. The complexity and detail keeps gaining momentum on the long, expressive finish, where accents of white truffle and spice linger. Drink now through 2036.

Giant Steps owner Phil Sexton's self-named vineyard soars once again in this beautifully textured Chardonnay that is all at once modern and timeless. Take a deep dive into a nose of honeysuckle, lime leaf, salted cashew, waxy lemon and stony minerals. Then let the liquid roll around on your tongue, pricking it gently with crystalline acidity. Complex and ageworthy yet totally approachable now, this is the face of today's Aussie Chardonnay, and it's a mighty fine one. Drink now–2029 and likely beyond.

A very composed and attractively elegant chardonnay that has an impeccably smooth array of lemon and peach-sorbet aromas with very subtle, fresh-nutty notes. The palate has such smooth build. Really refined and elegant. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Sourced from 30-plus year-old vines in a south-facing vineyard, this single-vineyard expression gets the balance of texture, flavor and acidity just right. Tones of minerals and sea salt weave between citrus, melon and well-managed oak. The palate is an expertly built combo of pristine acidity, a smooth texture and supportive oak. The finish is chalky and long. Drink now–2030.

Mouthwatering and precise, with a lovely blend of Asian pear, green apple and mandarin orange flavors that mingle with candied ginger peel, spice and floral details. Shows a silky weightlessness, retaining plenty of intensity to the flavors.

Bright red cherries and strawberries in a pure style of pinot that has a gently herbal edge and some light reductive, tarry notes, too. The palate is precise and refined in terms of tannin shape and fruit purity. Bright red cherries abound. Acidity sparks up the finish. Drink or hold.

From the Coal River Valley (Nocton Vineyard). One of my favourite things is ‘Death Can Be Fatal’, a Two Ronnies mini-serial, featuring Piggy Malone and Charley Farley.Dark cherry, plum, spicy biscuit oak, dried rose perfume. It’s fleshy, mouth-filling, though not particularly heavy, thick and silky tannin, even raspberry acidity, and a long insistently silty, slightly ashy tannin finish. Plenty to grab onto, yet it’s still identifiably Pinot Noir.

Spring hasn’t sprung at the time of tasting but the wine does feel Spring release-ready. Good for that season rather than winter, which is approaching.Lots of detail here and very high drinkability, a wash of texture, cinched very gently with lacy tannins, pretty spice, floral notes, succulent overall and just feels darn high quality. I love the looser knit feel here, it spreads in the palate like a gentle quilt. Warmth through the finish, perhaps, but comforting in a quiet way. Beautiful drinking.

Sexy Sexton. Supple, soft and come-hither pinot noir. Cherry, red berries, nougat, subtle spice and a good lick of juicy acidity. It feels broad but well honed, lots of flavour, lots of space in the palate, finishes spicy and fresh. A very seductive pinot with lots of detail in tow.