Bright medium ruby. Vibrant aromas of crushed cassis, bitter cherry, licorice and leather. Youthfully tight yet already quite penetrating; today the wine's licorice and fresh herb notes dominate its underlying dark fruit flavors. More backward than the 2011 La Muse, even austere today

Bright yellow. Pineapple, medicinal herbs and crushed rock on the nose. Very dense and tactile but less immediately fruity than the Upper Barn. Pineapple and grapefruit flavors are accompanied by strong saline and rocky elements. In a very dry style but broad, rich and long. The hardest of these chardonnays to taste today but a wine with considerable potential.

Pale, bright yellow. Initially closed nose opened to reveal steely, Puligny-like white peach, nutmeg, mint and crushed stone aromas. Dense but airy and dry; tactile and silky-smooth but with a lovely light touch. Today this very subtle young wine is showing more minerality than primary fruit. Finishes broad and weightless. Give this a couple years in the cellar. This stunning set of chardonnays made by winemaker Graham Weerts, who is from South Africa, was one of the revelations of my tastings of California wine this spring.

Bright ruby-red. High-toned, sexy aromas of black cherry, blueberry, licorice, graphite and sweet oak. Plush, sweet and pliant, with a wonderfully polished texture to the intense flavors of brambly dark berry, coffee and licorice. Finishes lush and very long, with building, fine-grained tannins and considerable elegance. This will be even better for five or six years in the cellar.

Medium ruby. Reticent but very pure aromas of blueberry, cassis, licorice and menthol. Shockingly rich and sweet but very young, showing superb concentration to its cassis flavor complemented by sexy oak tones. This really vibrates on the very long finish, where the wine's powerful mountain tannins are buried in fruit. Less showy today than the Howell Mountain cabernet but with outstanding long-term potential.

Good medium ruby. An essence of cabernet on the nose, with blackberry, licorice and floral aromas complicated by an exotic suggestion of fruity tropical chocolate. Then large-scaled, fat and sweet in the mouth, with highly concentrated black raspberry and chocolate flavors. The powerful mountain tannins coat the front teeth. Like a cabernet syrup today, in need of at least seven or eight years of aging and likely to be long-lived.

Good full ruby. Elemental, extremely primary nose features grapey blackberry, licorice and violet pastille. Big, sweet, broad and creamy; a huge, powerful wine with slightly rustic flavors of dark chocolate and minerals. Finishes with compelling sweetness of fruit, and very broad tannins that arrive late. From a block of vines that was recently torn out due to phylloxera. The richest of this trio of cabernets. Winemaker Chris Carpenter notes that the intention here is to make three wines of place by using neutral winemaking techniques. The only difference among the wines is maceration times, he added. All three of these bottlings are close to 15% alcohol.

From an old-vine, coolclimate vineyard near the Pacific Ocean, this wine offers aromas of red plum, Bing cherry, strawberry, red currant, allspice, and sedimentary rock. Rich flavors on the palate deliver red stone fruit, raspberry, strawberry, plum, and crushed rock throughout the palate. The 2023 vintage in California is one to buy and cherish, Cellar until 2035, or decant and enjoy.

This Zin brings aromas of crushed red raspberry, licorice, and cherry liqueur on the nose. The palate offers zippy acidity and plush tannin, with flavors of berry coulis, purple flowers, and cinnamon on the finish.

Concentrated aromas of red raspberry, cherry liqueur, spiced plum, and toasty spices jump from the glass on the nose of this wine. The palate delivers plush tannin, balanced acid, and flavors of plum compote, cherry skin, licorice, and purple flowers before a long and supple finish.

Originally conceived as a project focused solely on Chardonnay, Capensis has now
introduced its first red wine, the Capensis 2023 Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Silene,
which I tasted at the Cape Town 2025 wine fair. Sourced from Helderberg, located between
Somerset West and False Bay, the wine is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot
and 6% Cabernet Franc, though it is varietally labeled as Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark fruit
flavors are layered with light spice and a subtle note of grilled herbs or lavender, all carried
by the freshness that defines this maritime-influenced site. Aged for 14 months in French
oak with 35% new wood, the wine reflects a season marked by significant rainfall in 2023,
making careful vineyard work essential on the Helderberg’s wind-cooled slopes and welldrained decomposed granite soils.

Evolving into its own distinct identity within the portfolio, the Capensis 2023 Stellenbosch
Silene Chardonnay reveals zippy acidity, bright tropical fruit and a strong sense of
freshness. The winemaking mirrors the established Capensis approach, with élevage in
larger-format foudre and new vessels being introduced from Stockinger. There is an
immediate reductive snap on opening, reinforcing the wine’s tension and energy, while the
maritime influence and decomposed granite soils of Stellenbosch contribute clarity.
Production will drop in 2024 due to wind damage during flowering. The 2023 vintage proved
terrific for whites, thanks to later ripening conditions, though the season’s rainfall made it
more challenging for red varieties.

Most of the grapes were sourced from vineyards with a maritime influence in Stellenbosch,
producing a Chardonnay that has a fresh aroma with subtle fruit notes and a hint of
saltiness. These saline notes carry through on the palate, where they blend with flavors of
peaches and hints of flowers. The long finish is elevated by herbal touches. Sovereign Wine
Imports. —J.V

Dark and packed with black cherry, blackberry, cassis, iron and tobacco flavors, this red reveals the muscular side of Chianti Classico from a hot, dry vintage. Dissolves into a ripe, well-balanced aftertaste, with a lasting impression of sweet fruit. Sangiovese and Merlot. Best from 2028 through 2043.

Dark and packed with black currant, blackberry, violet, iron and spice aromas and flavors, this red is inviting but nonetheless solidly built, with a layer of dense, dusty tannins plying the finish. Pure and intense. Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Best from 2028 through 2042.

The 2024 White Blend is a curious blend of 80% Assyrtiko, 19% Sémillon and 1% Malvasia Bianca, all from the Alexander Mountain estate. It’s outrageously distinctive and flat-out delicious. There’s so much texture here. Chalky, grippy, zippy and lifted, the 2024 oozes character. White flowers, sour orange, white pepper and lemon oil pop from the glass. What an expressive, engaging white.

The 2022 Chardonnay Zayante Vineyard is a richer, riper style for the Santa Cruz Mountains, certainly amplified by the warm growing season. Fermented and aged in barrel for six months, then finished in stainless for a further six, the 2022 delivers layers of apricot, orange curd and honeyed tropical fruit. A thin line of mouthwatering acids enlivens the finish, closing with a spark of toasted spice. Very well done, and particularly well balanced.

This is flush with vivid boysenberry and cherry puree notes infused with a violet accent. The finish is pure in feel as this streams through, with a subtle rose hip twinge to keep everything grounded. Drink now through 2031. 316 cases made.

Cherry and raspberry coulis notes are pure, fresh and lengthy as they hold sway over flecks of rose hip and dried anise. A subtle sandalwood frame lets everything play out prettily through the unadorned finish. Drink now through 2031. 164 cases made.

Sports nicely focused energy as its core of cherry, raspberry paste and pomegranate streams along, picking up singed apple wood and rose hip hints. A late accent of hibiscus adds further range, and there’s structure for the cellar. Drink now through 2032. 323 cases made

An expressive style, with a rather showy core of gently mulled boysenberry and raspberry fruit infused with black tea, warmed anise and incense. Sparkly acidity is inlaid nicely, lending this clarity and focus through the finish. Drink now through 2032. 348 cases made.

Bright and succulent, with a mix of vivid boysenberry and raspberry fruit laced liberally with iris and hibiscus notes. The fruit keeps its energy as a gently singed anise detail echoes through the finish. Drink now through 2032. 2,132 cases made.

Darker, plusher, and more rounded than many of the producer's other Pinots, the 2023 Pinot Noir Stormin is richly woven in earthy dark cherry, wild strawberry, and forest floor, with well-balanced acidity and tannins. It takes on complex additional notes of sweet oak and vanilla bean that add to the medium-bodied appeal and length. Drink now through 2033.

With more concentration and rounder tannins than some of the producer's more delicate wines, the 2023 Pinot Noir Unforgettable Estate Vineyard is high-toned in cranberry but finds its most defining characteristic to be forest and earth, very much etched in what surrounds it than any kind of fruit. There's length and breadth across the midpalate and medium-bodied weight, the intensity of the wine undeniable. Truly lovely. Drink now through 2035.