Quite subtle at first on the nose, this bottling offers baked red-cherry aromas and a dusting of soil with some swirling. The palate blends dark red cherry with touches of sagebrush and wild thyme, lifted by a hint of white pepper.

2016 PINOT NOIR, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY The nose is tobacco, cherry, red berry and wet stone. The palate is fresh lively red berry, plum and a dry finish of firm acidity that is well integrated with the fruit. A very sneaky sleeper of a wine.

2016 PINOT NOIR, PRATT VINEYARD, SEXTON ROAD The nose is spiced cedar and cranberry with notes of graphite. The palate is a fresh delicate and herbal cherry with dried nectarine in the core. The finish is a textured cranberry bite. Very enjoyable.

2016 PINOT NOIR, EWALD VINEYARD The nose is a lifted, peppery and earthy clay with raspberry, carbon, saline and cranberry. The palate is a crisp red raspberry on entry with subtle bright red fruit and a lean mineral finish.

2015 PINOT NOIR, EWALD VINEYARD The nose is red fruit, lush with mineral, dry herb, tobacco and leather. The palate is a lively fresh red fruit up front with subtle underpinning of delicate red berry.

2015 PINOT NOIR, VAN DER KAMP VINEYARD The nose is a firm red plum with notes of salt, brown spice, briar and blackberry. The palate is well-focused and polished mint and cherry. Lean and mouth-coating in the core showing bright red berry and cherry with a persistent finish.

2016 ZINFANDEL, LIMERICK LANE VINEYARD The nose is a sticky loam and herb over blackberry, dense cherry and hints of grilled meat. The palate is a dry raspberry and pomegranate with higher toned hints of tobacco and herb in the core. Finishes dry and lean with fresh strawberry and nectarine.

This very deep ruby colored Cabernet Franc from Mt. Brave won over our Tasting Panel. This wine opens with a black cherry and dark chocolate bouquet with hints of blackberry. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, balanced and juicy. The flavor profile is a mild mineral influenced black cherry with notes of plum. We also detected hints of black tea, black licorice and black raspberry towards the end. The finish is dry and its moderate tannins are nicely prolonged. The Panel suggest pairing this Cab Franc with a cast iron skillet seared skirt steak.

Napa Valley’s Extraordinary 2016 Cabernets - Part 1 La Jota's 2016 Merlot is plush, rich and radiant, all qualities that can be enjoyed upon release. A dollop (4.5%) of Tannat and 5.5% Petit Verdot add explosive energy. Black cherry, grilled herb, pepper, new leather and mint all run through this plush, savory Merlot. This is very nicely done. Drink it over the next decade.

This opaque and very dark purple colored Cabernet Franc from La Jota was impressive in front of the Tasting Panel. It opens with a very perfumed bouquet featuring blueberry and Earl Grey tea. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, nicely balanced and smooth. The flavor profile is a blend of blueberry, espresso and toasted oak. We also detected hints of blackberry and minerality mixed in. The finish is dry and its dusty tannins and fruit show very nice length. The Panel suggested pairing it with the American Kobe Cap Steak from Grill 23.

The Jackson Estate wines are usually a couple of steps above K-J Vintner's Reserve. Full ripeness and a moderate vein of sweet-seeming oak make this full-bodied wine taste sunny and appealing. Black-cherry and baking-spice aromas lead to juicy generous fruit flavors.

Red-cherry compote, star anise, red licorice and a hint of vanilla show on the nose of this bottling from one of Adam Lee's longtime sources in the region. The palate offers rusty and earth flavors of baked cherry, but is quite snappy and crisp, enhanced by oregano, pepper and dried flowers.

Elegantly layered aromas of rose petal potpourri, cranberry, raspberry and sandalwood arise on the nose of this single-vineyard study. Creamy and soft with well-integrated acid on the palate, this wine offers flavors of plum and mulberry, making for a smooth sip.

Medium-light to medium ruby; attractive, forward, ripe, raspberry and dark cherry fruit aroma with hints of dried herbs, cola, and baking spices; medium to medium-full body; moderately rich, fleshy, red fruit flavors with bright acidity; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. Deserves a few more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

2016 PINOT NOIR, LINGENFELDER VINEYARD The nose is a powdered blueberry, pepper and clay. The palate is an indelibly robust herb-laden blue plum and earthy olive, mineral dryness.

Medium-light to medium ruby; attractive, deep, fragrant, herbal, currant, red cherry, and strawberry fruit aroma with hints of cola and cinnamon stick; medium to medium-full body; forward, earthy, nicely balanced, elegantly styled, red fruit flavors with spicy richness in the mouthfeel; medium tannin; lingering aftertaste. Very enjoyable to drink now, though worthy of several more years of bottle aging. Very highly recommended.

2015 PINOT NOIR, SARALEE’S VINEYARD A hard cranberry, peach, plum and crushed blackberry. The palate entry is sleek and polished with a velvety core of red plum and cedar mocha. Nice texture in the finish.

2015 PINOT NOIR, BELLFLOWER VINEYARD The nose is a powerfully scented mélange of stems, bark and dried berries, faint mint and brown spice. The palate is somewhat reticent on entry with piquant raspberry in the core with notes of cranberry and bright cherry, cedar.

2015 PINOT NOIR, LINGENFELDER VINEYARD The nose is a bright cranberry infused with herb, tomato and firm cherry. The palate is a silky strawberry wrapped in a cherry, herb and tobacco.

2016 RED WINE, GSM The nose is a fresh raspberry and savory tomato tapenade, bacon fat and blackberry with notes of loam. The palate entry is a ripe plum, loam, and bacon fat with a bright, lively finish.

This blends 36% Syrah, 23% Mourvèdre, 22% Viognier and 19% Grenache. A beautiful perfume of violet opens the proceedings, followed by white pepper, garrigue, lavender and meat. A high-toned midpalate tames the wine's richer, riper leanings that takes on a robust taste of strawberry leather before pepper comes back to dot the finish.

2016 VIOGNIER The nose is a juicy tropical fruit with notes of banana, vanilla bean, peach, mango along with fragrant gardenia. The palate entry is rich, silky peach and mango with an impression of caramelized (roasted) stone fruit in the core. Finishes with a vanilla and lemon/mineral bite.

A nose of boysenberry, herb, dried fig and plum. A beautiful palate with firm cedar and blackberry with a core of dried spiced black stone fruit.

Napa Valley’s Extraordinary 2016 Cabernets - Part 1 The 2016 Merlot W.S. Keyes is very polished in this vintage, with a bit less tannin than has often been the case. That silkiness allows the fruit to shine through, even in the early going. Inky blue and purplish fruit, spice and vanillin all run through this flavorful, juicy Merlot, which, in reality, includes 23% Cabernet Sauvignon. Perhaps it is the high percentage of Cabernet that makes the Keyes not quite as distinctive as it can be.

Napa Valley’s Extraordinary 2016 Cabernets - Part 1 The 2016 Cabernet Franc is going to need a few years to shed some of its baby fat and fully come together. Today, the new oak is a bit prominent. Even so, there is good depth to the fruit. The 2016 is still very young, though. I would prefer to cellar it for at least a few years before venturing into bottles.