Distinctive for the jazzy, toasty, mocha-laced oak, yet the rich, polished fig, nectarine, white peach and tangerine flavors are equal to the wood. A remarkably seductive Chardonnay.

Distinctive for the jazzy, toasty, mocha-laced oak, yet the rich, polished fig, nectarine, white peach and tangerine flavors are equal to the wood. A remarkably seductive Chardonnay.

Napa 2016 Vintage: 5 Consecutive Years of Fantastic Wines This is a big and juicy red with lots of ripe forest fruit. Full-bodied, round and chewy.

Offers a refined texture, with robust and well-knit flavors of dried berry, plum tart and dried blackberry, accented by a layer of raspberry ganache that runs throughout. The succulent finish features plenty of tannic grip and dried herbal notes.

Rich, tannic and woody, this wine is robust in big black fruit, espresso and toasted oak. It is youthful in dense concentration and structure, a worthy showcase of the variety grown in a wild cool-climate appellation that appears to love it with abandon. Enjoy.

This is an opulent, full-bodied Merlot with layers of black and red fruits that finishes grippy with delicious cocoa and raspberry notes. Drink or hold for another five years.

Lithe and filled with a finely textured savoriness that washes over the cherry and dried berry flavors. Firmly tannic, with a big finish that offers cocoa powder, mineral and spice details.

The 2014 Malbec may well turn out to be one of the best Malbecs California has made to date. They have not hit the high points of the finest Malbecs coming from top wineries in Argentina, but wines like this will certainly give notice. A blend of 96% Malbec and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 53% new French oak, the wine has a dense purple color and a big nose of chocolate, blackberry, espresso bean and spice. It has plenty of intensity, full body, silky tannin and adequate acidity. Drink it over the next 12-15 years.

This 2014 Merlot from Mt. Brave is a big boy wine and you can tell right away why this wine’s release was held back. It is opaque and very dark ruby colored. It opens with a port like bouquet with hints of black cherry-cola. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, balanced and rich. The flavor profile is a blackberry and mineral blend with notes of oak. We also detected hints of black licorice towards the end. The finish is rather dry and its moderate tannins stick around for quite a while. The Panel suggested serving this hearty Merlot with a pot roast.

The 2014 Merlot is a beauty. Black cherries, cassis, forest floor, and graphite notes all give way to a classy, pure, medium-bodied effort that has nicely integrated acidity, terrific purity of fruit, and fine tannin. It’s a classy effort to drink over the coming decade or so.

The 2012 Merlot jumps from the glass with exuberant dark fruit and tons of pure intensity. Mocha, plum, lavender, cedar and blackberry jam saturate the palate in a deep, inky Merlot built on pure texture, volume and depth. With time in the glass, the wine freshens up a bit and the tannins become more prominent.

Napa 2016 Vintage: 5 Consecutive Years of Fantastic Wines Blackberries and spices with some smoked herbs. Full body, round and chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Big and juicy. Intensely tannic and chewy.

The Surprise of 2015 in Napa and Other California Wine Reviewed Dark plums, mulberries and some dust. The palate has some nice tension, ripe tannins and a fruit-forward finish. Chewy. Drink in 2021.

The 2014 Cabernet Franc, the first vintage off this property, is intriguing. Expressive Franc aromatics lead to a core of expressive dark cherry, cedar, licorice and sweet tobacco. Silky, gracious and medium in body, the 2014 is quite attractive today. This is only the second crop off these young vines that were once part of the Potel holdings Jackson Family Wines purchased a few years ago.

A 100% varietal wine from the wilds of the appellation, this wine shows a pretty range of violet and dusty sage. Concentrated in fruit and girth with a bright backbone of acidity, it finishes in earthy forest floor and chocolate.

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.

This pitch black colored Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt. Veeder opens with a black currant bouquet with hints of anise, cherry-cola, chocolate and damp wood. On the palate, this wine is full bodied, nicely balanced and smooth. The flavor profile is a boysenberry and cassis blend with a nicely integrated minerality. We also detected hints of anise, cinnamon and black pepper. The finish is dry and its moderate tannins and fruit show nice length. The Panel suggested pairing this Cab with slow cooked short ribs or a New York strip steak. Very good+.

A big and juicy style with blackberry, mineral and toasted oak character. Full-bodied, chewy and rich. Needs a year or two to soften. Better in 2017.

Good ruby-red. Blackcurrant, graphite and licorice aromas are complemented by coffee and mocha oak nuances. Sweeter in the mouth than the La Jota cabernet from Howell Mountain (this fruit was picked a bit earlier), offering good texture to its dark berry, licorice, violet and coffee bean flavors. Less obviously herbal too, this bottling is more likely to expand with cellaring. Substantial tongue-dusting tannins call for some patience.

The 2012 Malbec can compete with some of the big boys from Argentina. Aromas of coffee beans, blackberries, chocolate and vanilla jump from the glass of this opaque purple-colored wine. With exceptional intensity, sweet tannin and a long, rich, layered finish, this blend of 98% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in two-thirds new French oak should drink well for 8-12 years.

Concentrated hot stone and mulled spice notes accent the chiseled red plum, raspberry and cherry flavors. Hints of underbrush and smoke show on the finish.

Big and ripe, with plenty of roasted plum and spice flavors that are backed by fresh acidity. Dried green herb notes linger on the tannic finish. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

I tasted four separate Merlots from the great 2013 vintage for Bordeaux varieties. The 2013 Merlot Jackson Park (in Bennett Valley) is made from the Petrus clone of Merlot grown on clay and gravel soils. Dense and medium to full-bodied, it offers up notes of mocha, kirsch, black raspberry and blacker fruits as it hits the palate. A big wine at 14.5% natural alcohol, it exhibits moderate tannins and was aged in all French oak, of which 26% was new. The tannins suggest this wine would benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age, then would appear to have at least two decades of aging potential. It is a big, promising wine with a relatively high ceiling, so don’t ignore it.

At one time, believe it or not, there was a merlot craze and Matanzas Creek was near the head of the pack of producers who gave this important Bordeaux grape variety in a world dominated by cabernet sauvignon. That ship sailed long ago, but Matanzas continues to treat merlot with respect and typically makes one of the best in California. The 2013 exhibits richness and intensity, with juicy red and black fruits and hints of wood spice, and enough grip on the finish to suggest this one's good for another seven to 10 years in a proper cellar.

The 2013 Proprietary Red Journey, a blend of 90% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot aged 20 months in French oak, of which 80% was new. This deep ruby/purple wine offers up a big, sweet kiss of black cherry infused with espresso and mocha, followed by medium to full-bodied opulence, lushness, excellent purity and depth. It is expensive, but there are only 500 or so cases.