The 2010 Merlot Mt. Brave is imbued with tons of Mt. Veeder character. Crushed rocks, smoke, iron and dark blue/black fruit come together nicely in the glass. There is an underlying salinity and pure energy here that is simply compelling. The 2010 impresses for its combination of vivid fruit, intense structure and gorgeous overall harmony.

The 2009 Merlot is intense, juicy and beautifully balanced. A burst of dark, juicy fruit is followed by mint, pine, spices and licorice as the flavors build to the finish. Clean layers of minerality and sweet notes from the new French oak frame the exceptionally polished finish.

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.

Blended with 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, then aged 18 months in 64% new French oak, this is a lovely example of the variety: velvety, with smoky undertones of oak. Milk chocolate, raspberry and wild truffle combine well on the medium-bodied palate, the finish bright and focused in acidity.

Another blue-fruited nose that's never overripe with blackcurrants, citrus rind, some burnt orange, orange peel and brambles. Full-bodied with grainy tannins, fresh acidity and a chewy finish.

Here we have a majestic, taught structured wine with an impressive ageing capacity and classic Cabernet flavours; sweet blackcurrant and liquorice Pontefract cake with lush smoky, charred characters. Powerful and forceful yet not too tannic. It's not refined or elegant but has caressing fruit. Highly recommended.

A muscular, tight-knit style, with firm, dense, well-proportioned notes of dark berry, crushed rock and graphite. Impressively lively acidity keeps the flavors jumping on the finish, ending with an earth-laced red berry core. Drink now through 2030.

The star of the Mt Brave trio of new releases is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. There are nearly 5,800 cases of this fairly priced Cabernet. Blueberry, licorice, beef blood, tobacco leaf and forest floor aromas soar from the glass of this ripe, full-bodied, opulent wine. A blend of 87.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.5% Merlot and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Malbec, it was aged in 81% new French oak. The oak component is well-concealed behind the extravagant fruit. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.

Chris Carpenter makes this wine at a Jackson family vineyard above the fog line in northern Mt. Veeder, a remote spot that was one of Jess Jackson's favorite places in his stable of mountain sites. The vineyard produced a delicious 2011 cabernet, a cool, black wine that shows none of the damp challenges of the vintage. Scents of anise meet crunchy dark red fruit in a lush and approachable wine, its tannins forming fine layers of chocolate in the spaces between the fruit. It's approachable now and suited to several years of cellaring.

Deceptively complex, this succeeds with a supple texture and a graceful mix of currant, blueberry, spice, crushed rock and subtle licorice notes, gliding along on the finish.

Aromas of chocolate mousse and currants with hints of flowers. Full body with silky tannins and a chewy finish. A big but lively red. Better in 2017.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon comes across as quite soft and lush for a Mt. Veeder wine. Dark red fruit, flowers, mint and crushed rocks are some of the notes that flow through to the intense, saline finish. I especially like the energy and drive here.

Dense and chewy, this is a wine of muscle and finesse, with a tight focus on concentrated currant, mineral, exotic spices and green olive flavors, gaining on the finish.

Possessing an inky, glass staining purple color, the 2014 Malbec has classic Malbec blue fruits as well as terrific minerality in its crushed rock, liquid violet, and graphite aromas and flavors. With medium to full-bodied richness, a fresh, vibrant style, and nicely integrated tannin and acidity, you can safely drink this beauty anytime over the coming decade or more.

The outstanding 2013 Malbec, 100% Malbec all from Mt. Veeder, offers blackcurrants, licorice, incense and floral notes. The wine has fabulous fruit on the attack and mid-palate. It’s full-bodied, spicy and pure, with supple tannins, and should drink well for at least a decade or more.

Dark raspberry jam, spices, cedar and leather jump from the glass in the 2012 Malbec, one of the best wines in the Mt. Brave lineup. Deeply expressive, layered and perfumed, the 2012 impresses for its terrific flavor intensity and persistence. I would prefer to enjoy the 2012 on the young side, while the fruit retains its primary energy, but there is more than enough depth to support 7-10 years of cellaring, perhaps more. A dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon rounds out the blend.

This vineyard rises above the fog line in the northern reaches of Mt. Veeder. Originally planted by Chateau Potelle and purchased by Jackson Family Farms in 2007, it has since been the province of winemaker Chris Carpenter, who handles several mountain sites for the firm. This wine draws on the initial three acres of malbec planted in 2003. Impressed by the character of the wine, the team has since doubled the amount of malbec on the property. It's a noble experiment, as this wine captures both Mt. Veeder and malbec in its red forest berry flavors, its tight, zesty fruit length and its bright rose petal scents. Simple, luscious and delicious.

Carpenter makes this wine at the vineyard formerly known as Chateau Potelle, the vines rising above the fog line from 1,400 to 1,800 feet. It has the freshness and concentration of a wine grown at altitude in thin, rocky soils, the grip of its mountain tannins resolving to soft velvet as the wine takes on air. Rich scents of blackberries and black pepper give it depth and brightness, like a steak seared black and blue.

A new wine in this range, the 2013 Merlot Jackson Park is terrific. Succulent black cherry, plum, chocolate, crème de cassis and savory herbs give the Jackson Park its deep, unctuous personality. The 2013 can be enjoyed now, but it will be even better once some of the baby fat melts away.

Richly textured with deep plum and vibrant blackberry; bright and balanced with depth but not heavy; graceful and long.

Journey's 2013 Red is a gorgeous, savory red laced with scents of graphite, gravel, raspberry jam, wild flowers and dark spices. The 2013 marks a stylistic shift as the Red is now a Merlot- based blend whereas in the past, it was a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine. Drink the 2013 over the next handful of years.

Dark, bold and pungent, the 2013 Merlot (Alexander Valley) possesses striking aromatic top notes and plenty of mountain tannin wrapped around a core of dark red and purplish fruit. Vivid, nuanced and beautifully sculpted, the 2013 is a real winner.

The 2012 Merlot Jackson Park, from a site in Bennett Valley, is one of the more juicy, supple Merlots in this range. Dark red fruit, grilled herbs, rose petal and wild flowers add layers of nuance. This is another impeccable, harmonious wine from Matanzas Creek and Marcia Monahan.

Matanzas Creek was among the first of the California wineries that came to embrace Merlot and treat it as something other than a filler wine to soften a Cabernet-based blend. Matanzas was also among the best at Merlot and it still is. The 2012 is a thing of beauty, with complex notes of plum, raspberry and bing cherry, firm but integrated tannins, and hints of savory herbs and mocha. A stunning wine for under $30.