This tannic, backward, structured, sizeable St.-Emilion exhibits a steely backbone, huge tannins, and equally huge extract. Reserved, weighty, and rich on the palate, it is a good choice for young readers who have the time to wait for it to come into focus and shed some of its tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2030. P.S. This is the St.-Emilion estate of California visionary, Jess Jackson.

The 2015 Red Wine (Sonoma County) offers tons of potential. A host of inky blue and purplish fruit, crème de cassis, licorice, cloves and exotics spices are all pushed forward. Sumptuous and inviting, the 2105 exudes depth. A closing burst of graphite, lavender and purple-toned fruit punctuates the finish.

The richer, more complete and potentially more complex 2013 Proprietary Red is composed of 50% Cabernet Franc, 29% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec. Its possesses a dense ruby/purple color along with notes of dark berries, white chocolate, forest floor and spice box, and medium to full body. Winemaker Hélène Seillan seems to have a magic touch at getting sweet, velvety tannins integrated into the wine’s structural core. This beauty should offer delicious drinking over the next 8-12 years.

The 2012 Red Wine Sonoma County comes across as very tight at this stage. It is also resting in tank awaiting bottling, which may explain the wine's reticence. With time in the glass, the wine's pure depth begins to emerge. The 2012 is a huge wine that needs time to fully come together. Black cherries, plums, violets, cloves and menthol flesh out as the wine shows off its personality. In 2012, the blend is 56% Cabernet Franc, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot.

The Largest Blind Tasting of American True Rosés  - Flights 1-3 Brilliant pink with the slightest orange note. Strawberry with a decided meaty aspect. Good fruit and acid. Really coats the mouth with strawberry goodness. Yum. Outstanding.

Not yet bottled, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Smothers-Remick Ridge, from an organically farmed site in Sonoma, is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that will see a full 32 months in 70% new French oak. Lots of black cherry-like fruit, spice, graphite, and dried earth characteristics flow to a medium to full-bodied, nicely structured Cabernet that has building tannin and good concentration. It should certainly be an outstanding wine.

Arrowood's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County is plump, juicy and forward, with lovely depth and terrific overall balance. Dark red cherry, plum, mocha, chocolate, spices and new leather flow through to the effortless, gracious finish. Dollops of Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc round out the blend in this stylish red.

A new offering, or at least the first time I’ve tasted it, is the 275-case 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Justi Creek Vineyard from Sonoma. This shows more roasted herbs, red and blackcurrants, a hint of vanilla, and a creamy, fleshy, mouthfeel without the complexity or delineation of the Reserve Speciale. Nevertheless it has outstanding density and potential. This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in a combination of French and American oak, of which 38% was new. It should drink well for at least 10-15 years, although I doubt that it ever hits the heights that the Reserve Speciale will.

More serious, the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard possesses terrific color saturation in addition to sweet, concentrated blackberry and currant fruit intermixed with underbrush and smoke characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, layered, and impressive, it is one of the finest Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignons I have tasted. Given its opulence, it will be accessible young, and should age well for 10-15 years.

Medium ruby. Black fruits, licorice, menthol and a slightly syrupy note on the somewhat medicinal nose. Quite tight and tannic today, and not yet as pliant as the 2006. In a tough stage, displaying solid underlying minerality but currently hiding its fruit sweetness.

Good full, bright ruby. Slightly reduced aromas of crushed cassis, minerals and bitter chocolate. Full and broad but quite dry, and still a bit reduced. Juicy and intensely flavored, but not as expressive today as the Montana. Finishes with tongue-coating tannins and lingering black fruit flavors. A very strong performance for vines that are less than ten years old. Comes across as more tannic, but lower in acidity, than the Montana.

Dark red fruit, with a touch of funk, dominate the nose, with touches of anise, black pepper, and the Oxford comma. Fruity and rich on the palate, with a bit of stewedness, a healthy dose of acid, and some earthy spice. While this is a bit outside of my “normalcy” this is a healthy, vibrant cross between the old and new worlds. And that is a good thing. Excellent.

USA, Oregon: 2016 Vintage – Part Two A barrel sample, the 2017 Pinot Noir Kiana is pale ruby-purple in color with a nose of red cherry pie, blueberries, strawberry and raspberry jam plus nuances of exotic spice, wood smoke, dried leaves and tobacco with a classy frame of new oak. Light to medium-bodied, it offers wonderful concentration of juicy fruits in the mouth with layers of earth and spice, framed by smooth, velvety tannins and juicy acidity, finishing long and spicy.

USA, Oregon: 2016 Vintage – Part Two A barrel sample, the pale ruby-purple colored 2017 Pinot Noir Emery has a savory nose of black fruits, wood smoke and fresh tobacco leaves with hints of herbs and tar and a touch of alcoholic heat. Medium-bodied, it's very earthy in the mouth with soil and tar notions over black fruits, framed with firm, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing long and savory. This needs more time to come together but shows promise.

The 1995 Merlot is potentially a bigger and richer wine than either the 1994 or 1993. It is powerful and rich as a result of the extended maceration (30 days on the skins) and slow fermentation (because of the use of natural yeasts). A blend of 84% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc, this wine possesses exceptional potential. Moreover, it will last for 12-15 years. (Also appeared 12/20/96).

An impressive, full-bodied, low acid, dense, powerful wine, it possesses plenty of black currant and berry fruit intertwined with licorice, smoke, and vanillin scents. This layered, chewy, broad-shouldered, husky wine should be drinkable when released, and keep for two decades.

The 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon, much like its Merlot counterpart, is even more powerful and fuller-bodied, with impressive levels of extract, as well as a forward, low acid, richly fruity character emphasizing plenty of smoke, chocolate, black cherry, and cassis fruit. Despite its preciousness, this Cabernet is a candidate for 15+ years of cellaring, although it will be drinkable upon release.

The lighter 2003 Legacy Proprietary Red (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot) is sweet and spicy with plenty of power, potency, and flavor. It will merit consumption during its first 10-12 years of life.

There's a tiny 200 cases of the 2015 Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard as this vineyard was hit by frost. Violets, black and blue fruits and dried flowers all emerge from this spice-filled, primary, medium to full-bodied effort that shines for its depth of fruit.

The 2015 Pinot Noir Soberanes Vineyard is primary and unevolved (more so than the 2014 was at this stage) and has perfumed, exotic notes of passion fruits, spring flowers and violets. Medium-bodied, rich and nicely concentrated, with high quality tannin, it should certainly be an outstanding wine to drink on release and over the following 7-8 years.

Another terrific barrel sample from the Santa Lucia Highlands, the 2015 Pinot Noir Sierra Mar Vineyard offers lots of creme de cassis, licorice, crushed violets and hints of sweet oak in its sappy, floral and vibrant personality. Again, the fruit profile here leans towards the darker end of the spectrum. Like the other 2015s, I suspect it will shine right out of the gate given its purity of fruit and nicely balanced style. There are 125 cases made.

Brilliant ruby-red. Sexy, spice-accented red fruits and rose pastille on the fragrant nose and in the mouth. Shows appealing sweetness and no rough edges, with a spine of juicy acidity adding structure. Quiet forward, with smooth, nearly invisible tannins lending shape to the wine's fruit on the long finish.

The 2014 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills should be a classic expression of the region, showing lots of spice, red fruit and dried soils aromas and flavors. Balanced, polished and elegant with plenty of fruit, it should certainly be an outstanding wine, and at the price, is an excellent value in Pinot Noir.