This is an excellent California Merlot, among the best I’ve tasted in recent years. It looks forbiddingly dark, but serves up gorgeous, open berry aromas that are backed up with equally generous flavors of Bing cherries and blackberries. With that said, don’t mistake this for a juicy fruit bomb, as it is bolstered by spicy oak and buttressed by firm but fine-grained tannins. It will surely benefit from five years of cellaring, but would prove thoroughly enjoyable now either as a stand-alone sipper or with food… and not just a giant steak or grilled wolverine, but even a nice veal chop (which is where Merlot can show an edge over Cabernet). I don’t wish to gloss over this point too quickly: It is a significant achievement to produce a wine that can be sipped, or dined with, or cellared -- all with equal appropriateness, and all upon initial commercial release. Very impressive.

Rich purple color. Lovely depth of fruit on the nose (fresh blueberry, juicy black currants, tangy black cherries), along with complex elements of graphite, mint, eucalyptus, pipe tobacco and vanilla, along with mossy rocks and forest floor. On the palate, this is full but suave with solid tannic backbone, but vibrant acidity keeps it so fresh. Gushing black cherries, tangy red and black currants, blueberries, the fruit is tangy and vibrant and laced with mint, coffee, dark chocolate, along with earth, charcoal and incense sticks. Lots of savory elements to come out with time, this needs a serious decant or, preferably, five to ten years in the cellar. Exquisite stuff. Includes 10% Petit Verdot aged 22 months in French oak, from vines planted at about 1,800 feet in elevation.

Composed of 90% Merlot and 10% Petit Verdot, the 2015 Merlot Howell Mountain sports a deep garnet-purple color and nose of pure blackberry, black cherries and black plums with touches of garrigue, menthol and baking spices, with a waft of violets. Full-bodied, rich and packed with generous black fruits framed by velvety tannins and great freshness, it finishes long and spicy.

Lively and textured with awesome blackberry, mocha, and black pepper. The finish is refined with mineral, and spice. Drink now or hold for five years.

Blended with 10% Petit Verdot, this age-worthy beauty is impressively oaked and tannic in its youth, with a concentration of densely packed red and black currants. Coconut shavings and vanilla appear from the background alongside black pepper and cinnamon.

Bold purple color. On the nose, I get waves of black currants, gushing plums, black cherries and pomegranate, along with rich earth, eucalyptus, sage, sweet pipe tobacco, vanilla and violets — just lovely stuff. Gorgeous structure on the palate, velvety but sturdy tannins, moderating acidity. Plums, currants, black cherries, blackberries, exquisite fruit. Tons of charcoal, graphite, iron, mineral, notes of mushroom and soy, along with cocoa, vanilla, cedar and violets. Deep and complex yet effortless and elegant. So much time ahead. From a 1,800 foot vineyard, this contains 10% Petit Verdot and is aged 19 months in French oak.

The 2014 Merlot is a beauty that shows how good this variety can be on its own. Aged 19 months in 76% new French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered, it offers classic black cherry and plum fruit as well as complex notes of spice-box, chocolate, and dried flowers. With a ripe, sexy personality, nicely integrated acidity, no hard edges and impressive purity of fruit, drink bottles anytime over the coming 15-20 years.

The 2013 Merlot Howell Mountain is a blend of 91% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, aged in 80% new French oak. The wine is dense and exhibits loads of mocha, lead-pencil shavings, black cherry and Asian plum spices as well as some sauce-like characteristics in a full-bodied, opulent, very fleshy and dense style. This is stick-to-your-ribs, mouth-coating Merlot to drink over the next 12-15 years.

The 2011 Merlot WS Keyes is distinctly savory, mineral and intense. Sweet tobacco, anise, licorice, game, incense and orange peel all take shape in the glass. The 2011 is wild, exotic and striking in its beauty, but also totally unique, especially in its aromatic and flavor complexity. The style is less overtly fruit driven than the La Jota Cabernet, but the Keyes Merlot has tons of nuance in its place. Crushed flowers, mint and sweet tobacco linger on the close. The 2011 is 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon from old, phylloxerated vines.

Napa 2016 Vintage: 5 Consecutive Years of Fantastic Wines This is a very tannic and rich cabernet franc with blueberry and blackberry character. Full-bodied, powerful and rich. Shimmering tannins.

Hard to describe the balance and elegance of this Cabernet Franc, although it’s pretty hard in tannins. Below that is a fabulous core of blackberry, black cherry and mineral flavors. Rich, complex and dramatic, this is arguably one of the best Cabernet Francs on the market. Drink now–2017.

Weekend Wine Picks All La Jota fruit is sourced from the winery’s estate and from nearby W.S. Keyes Vineyard. La Jota Vineyard lies on a volcanic plateau, looking east over Napa Valley. Carpenter looks for blocks that produce soft-textured cabernet, yielding wines of earlier approachability. The decomposed granite soils of W.S. Keyes Vineyard impart a pop of bright fruit character and broader tannins. The 2014 growing conditions were excellent, yielding grapes without the worries of sun burn, shrivel or early fall cold. The wine is huge on the palate, and redolent in dark chocolate, espresso and blackberry, and just to amp it all up there is five per cent Petit Verdot among the 75.5 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 12 Cabernet Franc, 5 Merlot and 2.5 Malbec. It spends 19 months in French oak (90 per cent new). A decade of ageing is a minimum here, and likely another 10-15 before it reaches its peak. Impressive.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon comes across as gorgeous and round in its expressive dark red and black fruit, earthiness, menthol, spices and graphite. The firm Howell Mountain tannins are there, but the presence of Merlot (12%) helps to soften the wine. This is a gorgeous showing from La Jota and winemaker Chris Carpenter.

The graciousness of the fruit defies the tannic weight of this wine, leaving a velvet impression, remarkably approachable for a young Howell Mountain cabernet, and extremely delicious. It's from vines the Smith family, the founders of La Jota, originally planted in the late '70s. The structure is there, underpinning the fresh black fruit, the acidity edging it with eucalyptus. Plump and satin-textured on release, this should age into a beauty. Drink 2010-'12 with a grilled rib eye.

94 Points - 2002 La Jota Howell Mountain 21st Anniversary Release Cabernet Sauvignon.

“Classic Napa Mountain Cab, intensely concentrated in fruit, richly tannic, and dry, and of course, such a wine needs and deserves the new oak they lavished on it. Flavors and structure perfectly balance, with massive cherry pie, cassis and mocha flavors meshing with sweetly ripe tannins and rich barrel notes of vanilla and char. This is a dramatic, complex young Cab that will hold for six years.”

The 2017s From Sonoma Coming from the Russian River Valley and brought up in 58% new French oak, the flagship 2016 Pinot Noir 9 Barrel offers a beautiful bouquet of black cherries, scorched earth, spice, and earthy notes as well as a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, pure, balanced style on the palate. I love its texture. It has some background oak, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish.

Mouthfilling flavors of dark cherry, dried currant and raspberry tart are plush and loaded with spicy richness. Cream and white chocolate elements flood the long, rich finish, along with hints of forest floor and a subtle citrusy snap.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2016 Pinot Noir Fog Veil has very pretty notes of cranberries, Bing cherries and pomegranate with touches of black pepper, lavender and cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied and offering a firm, plush frame and oodles of freshness, it gives tons of seductive yet elegantly styled fruit in the mouth, with a long mineral-laced finish.

The 2017s From Sonoma I loved the 2016 Pinot Noir Bellflower Vineyard. This seriously good Pinot Noir comes from an estate vineyard in the Russian River and was aged 15 months in 50% new French oak. Its deep ruby color is followed by impressive notes of wild strawberries, blood orange, black cherries, and spice as well as just a hint of background oak. Medium to full-bodied and nicely concentrated, with good acidity, this elegant, balanced Pinot Noir will keep for 7-8 years, if not longer.

This is a remarkable, lovely wine, made from a site in the extremes of Annapolis. It is delightfully complex and layered, with a richly concentrated palate of dark cherry, blueberry and Asian five spice, with spikes of sea breeze and tea.

Terrific balance on this Californian Pinot Noir from very evidently a cool climate. Balanced, racy and exciting. No cherry fruit bomb here, thank-you, though it's generously flavoured. Pair with grilled or roasted chicken.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages The 2016 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard features bold apricots, guava and pink grapefruit scents with nuances of fresh ginger, nutmeg and baking bread plus a waft of marzipan. Medium to full-bodied, the stone fruit and tropical flavors fill the mouth, supported by a creamy texture and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy.

The late-released 2011 Chardonnay Nine Barrel is exactly what its name says – a selection made from the winery’s top nine barrels of Chardonnay. This stunning, light gold-colored 2011 offers complex, evolved aromas of white peach, pineapple, hazelnut and honeysuckle. It possesses terrific fruit intensity, medium to full body and well-integrated oak. Drink this beauty over the next 1-2 years.

Very spicy, floral, incense, chocolate, cherry, coffee, prune, briary, light barnyard aromas. Round, rich, elegant, supple, dry palate with good acidity and intensity. Chocolate, vanilla, black cherry, wild strawberry jam, spicy, celery salt, cooked carrot, mineral, briar flavours. Great intensity and fruit with food finesse for current drinking. Fine effort.