The Surprise of 2015 in Napa and Other California Wine Reviewed This is a dusty red with soft and polished tannins. Shows some light wood undertones. Velvety and chewy finish. Needs drinking.

86% Merlot; 8% Cabernet Franc; 4% Cabernet Sauvignon; 2% Malbec. There is no question that this is a very exciting bottle of wine, but its charms are rather more obvious and less deceptive than its companion above, and while it is a very good Merlot, it is also the most expensive California Merlot we have evaluated. Price is never a consideration in our ratings, but it does come into play when we buy wine, and this one, despite its deep and rich fruit, is expensive. OBI$150.00

The Surprise of 2015 in Napa and Other California Wine Reviewed This is holding on beautifully for a very difficult and wet vintage. Fresh and clean with currants, lime and hints of cedar and meat. Medium body, firm and velvety tannins, and a savory finish. Drink now.

Smooth and creamy at the start, with a mix of mocha and vanilla flavors, showing notes of dry, dusty currant, blueberry, blackberry, licorice and fresh-turned earth. Ends with gritty, gravelly tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2028.

The 2014 Chianti Classico Riserva is a dark and enriched expression of Sangiovese (and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) with above average concentration and extraction. This is a meaty and dark red wine with a powerful load of dark fruit and ripe blackberry with spice, leather and moist terracotta on the close. The finish is soft, creamy and long lasting. I would never have pegged this wine as being from the more difficult 2014 vintage in a blind tasting. You get excellent value here.

This pitch black colored Chianti Classico Riserva opens with an appealing black cherry bouquet with a hint of cola. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, balanced and juicy. The flavor profile is a tasty cedar infused dark cherry with notes of gentle minerality. I also detected hints of craisin, black pepper and red plum in the background. The finish is dry and its flinty tannins fade away nicely. The wine is very food friendly and would be perfect for Italian fare. I would pair with beef braciola or lamb kabobs.

Juicy and bright with silky texture and lively, clean, juicy raspberry fruit; fresh and snappy, balanced and long.

Soft and fruity with a pretty yet subdued character of cola, berry and flowers. Medium body, good acidity. Pretty finish. Drink now.

The 2010 Chianti Classico Riserva opens to a large-scale taste profile with bold cherry, blackberry and dark spice. Firm tannins wrap around the velvety finish. The folks at Tenuta di Arceno have taken great care at pairing each variety they grow with the various soil types found on their large estate in the southern part of the denomination. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2022.

Velvety smooth with deep flavors of plum, cassis and spice; tangy, juicy and firmly structured with pleasant notes of oak; seamless, balanced and long.

Bright cherry and wild berry and lavished in thick layers, adding intensity and persistency. This modern Chianti Classico is 20% (the maximum allowed) Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Bright acidity and vibrant berry flavors characterize the mouth and fuel a lasting fruity impression that would pair well with meat-based pasta or risotto.

Peppery, meaty, saddle leather, floral, black pepper, licorice, black cherry jam, plum and tobacco aromas. Ripe, round, supple and grainy with good concentration and acidity. Black cherry, plum, meaty, tobacco, licorice, black pepper, black olive, vanilla and carrot top flavours. A bit astringent and youthful but has good vibrancy. Needs 3-5 years for best showing.

The best yet from this California winery and one of the rare Merlots that is outstanding in quality. This is appealing now for its rich, earthy, toasty oak and tobacco scents and plush currant and mineral flavors. Turns complex and lingers on the finish.

Tight, rich and concentrated, with tiers of coffee, currant, anise, sage, and berry, it slowly unfolds to reveal its treasures. Finishes with will-integrated tannins and fine length.

Dark ruby cast. Full-bodied. Balanced acidity. Highly extracted. Heavily oaked. Moderately tannic. Spice, black fruits. Generous aromas lead to a lush, velvety mouthfeel with a very firm structure. Tightly wound through the finish.

It is an accessible, multi-layered wine with tons of licorice and black fruit flavors, a voluptuous texture, and an expressive, flamboyant personality that offers even more rich fruit than it does toasty oak. At 14.2% alcohol, this is a boldly-styled, fleshy, full-bodied wine that can be drunk or cellared for 15 years.

Deep ruby with saturated rim. Moderately full-bodied. Balanced acidity. Highly extracted and oaked. Quite tannic. Smoked meat, earth, currants. A hefty red with bold flavors and a dense, chewy structure. Shows excellent expression of secondary characteristics. Fine grained tannins rise up at mid-palate and linger through a firm, dry finish.

Sweet black jammy fruits with a hint of mint highlight this medium to full-bodied blend. Well-balanced tannins and a good use of wood provide a creamy vanilla and cedar finish.

Like the Christopher's Cab, this wine is firmly structured; it also has higher-toned aromatics consisting of red cherries and mint. Then the flavors come in waves of black cherry, plum and cassis, finishing long and chocolatey.

Like the Christopher's Cab, this wine is firmly structured; it also has higher-toned aromatics consisting of red cherries and mint. Then the flavors come in waves of black cherry, plum and cassis, finishing long and chocolaty. Drink 2005-2015

…exhibits an opaque ruby/purple color in addition to a toasty nose, chocolate, black currant, lead pencil, and smoke. Full-bodied, with high tannin, this pure, concentrated wine needs another 2-3 years of cellaring.

Complex, intense and well integrated, with ripe, rich fruit, lots of currant, anise, earth, mineral and spice, picking up leather and meat notes on the finish. Has the tannic strength to age…

This may be dark, palate-filling and intense, but it's depth of fruit and character. Give it a few years to smooth its rough edges and allow more of the plum and wild cherry fruit to come forward, then enjoy a bottle with venison.

Well balanced, with supple coffee, herb, currant and cedary aok flavors, it turns smooth and polished on the finish, where the flavors fan out.