A big, broad-shouldered effort, with a dense mix of flavors framed by sturdy tannins. Offers layers of dark berry, cedar, spice and graphite nuances. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

An intriguing offering from the Jackson family, the 2012 Proprietary Red this innovative blend of 36% Merlot, 20% Petite Sirah, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Syrah and Zinfandel is outstanding. The wine comes from multiple vineyards in Northern California in Napa Valley and is a reasonably good-sized cuvée of 5,000 cases. The wine shows plenty of peppery, meaty, blackcurrant fruit, sweet cherries, loamy soil undertones, plenty of licorice and spice box. This is a very Mediterranean styled, deep, fleshy red wine to drink over the next 2-3 years.

Golden apples, peaches, and apricots mingle with a few honey and floral hints on the nose. Crisp and refreshing on the palate, the peach and apple take center stage with suggestions of honey and toasted almonds lingering in the background. Very approachable, slightly sweet, and bright, this a very good buy for the price and would be lovely as a starter or with your main meal.

Vivid ruby. Smoky dark berry and olive tapenade scents are lifted by zesty mineral and black pepper notes, with a floral nuance adding complexity. Silky and focused on the palate, offering spice-accented blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that become sweeter with air. The floral quality recurs on the persistent, smoky finish.

Dark and smooth with earthy, dense flavors of blackberry and plum; notes of anise, spice and pepper; juicy, balanced and long.

Inky purple. Oak-spiced cherry and black raspberry aromas are complicated by notes of vanilla, olive and pipe tobacco. Lush and expansive, offering ripe dark fruit flavors that pick up smokiness and spiciness with air. Smooth and sweet on the clinging finish, the dark berry and spice notes repeating.

Opaque ruby. Smoky dark berry aromas are complicated by notes of olive, cracked pepper and licorice. Sweet and expansive, offering powerful blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that pick up allspice and candied violet notes with air. Closes sappy and long, with very good energy and lingering florality.

Bone dry, fruity and tannic, this pleasant Syrah has complex flavors of berries, cherries, grilled meat, pepper and smoky oak. Substantial in body, if a bit tough and astringent in tannins. Needs rich meats and cheeses. Could even improve in the cellar for a few years.

The 2006 Syrah Saralee’s Vineyard exhibits tell-tale tar, roasted meat, and bouquet garni aromas, intense, ripe blackberry fruit, hints of smoke and licorice, and a long, heady finish. Aged in French oak for 18 months, and bottled unfined and unfiltered, this luscious, sexy Syrah should provide plenty of pleasure over the next 6-7 years.

Very ripe and skirting the edges of dried cherries in character, the wine never loses the needed vitality to be attractive, and its hints of dark chocolate and caramel add to its charms whereas they might have otherwise pushed it over the top. Full in body, fleshy in feel on the palate and slightly hot to finish, this wine is not for the faint of heart, but so too is it still Merlot at its heart and in its uses with food.

Bursts with cherry, toasty oak and coffee aromas and offers pretty and layered wild berry, spice and caramel flavors that build richness on the finish. Drink now.

Smooth, polished and ripe, this is a blend of Alexander Valley and Sonoma Valley. Those are both warm appellations, and in this warm vintage, the wine is extremely ripe. It brims with chocolate, cassis and licorice flavors. Almost too fruity, this is saved by a dry finish.

Vivid red. Exotic aromas of red and dark berries, olive, anise and violet; the syrah element is really pronounced today. Deep, sappy blackberry and cassis flavors are very supple and show no tannins. A smoky mineral note creeps up on the finish, which is long, sweet and well-focused. I like this wine's clarity and balance.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Estates is soft, pliant and open-knit, all qualities that make it a terrific choice for drinking now and over the next few years. The purity of the red- fruit and floral/savory aromatics is striking. Red plum, mocha, sage and cedar add layers of nuance. This is such a pretty wine.

Aged 24 months (bottled in January of this year), the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, and 4% Malbec. Blueberries, black raspberries, cassis, bay leaf, and hints of tobacco all emerge from this medium-bodied, elegant, seamless wine. More cedar wood and spice develop with time in the glass, and it's medium-bodied, silky, and balanced on the palate.

This is another stellar Cabernet Sauvignon for Arrowood from the 2014 vintage. It shows ripe flavors of blackberry, cassis and blueberry with a touch of oak vanillin and firm tannins that will smooth out nicely in another two to three years. This vintage also offers and intriguing note of cedar that is often a marker in top-notch Bordeaux.

Herbal in cedar, this medium-bodied wine is simply layered, with a thickness of tannin and oak, its mouthfeel substantial yet smooth. Black fruit speaks loudest—a mix of black cherry, blueberry and blackberry jam.

From various sites across appellations, this well-made red offers soft, smooth tannins and full-bodied ripeness, the flavors defined by cherry, vanilla, oak and clove. It’s ready for steak.

Dark ruby color; smooth, lush and herbal - Dick Arrowood's velvety style (although he's no longer at his namesake winery) - with loads of polish for the modest price.

Made from two vineyards in the appellation, this shows black cherry, cedar and tobacco, with a graphite element not far behind. Sticky tannins provide grip and weight, as full-bodied richly ripe blue fruit and plum form a continuum between hits of clove.

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Smothers-Remick Ridge is a powerful, explosive wine. Super-ripe red cherry and French oak are dominant. Other recent vintages have been both more compelling and also more expressive of site. Thirty two months in 100% new oak is probably too much for this wine. Hints of raspberry, blood orange, mint and tobacco add a measure of complexity. In my view, the Smothers-Remick Ridge Cabernet has the potential to be more than just merely outstanding.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County) is an absolutely delicious wine that shows just how compelling Sonoma Cabernets can be. Rich, dark and powerful, the 2013 exudes notable depth in its dark stone fruit, savory herb, smoke, leather, spice and tobacco flavors. Drink this racy, intense Cabernet over the next decade or so.

A classic, boldly full-bodied offering of the variety from vineyards in Sonoma Valley, Knights Valley and Alexander Valley, this wine is defined by blackberry, cassis and mocha, its mouthfeel velvety and luxurious. The finish is lengthy and accented in sage.

This is classic in herbaceous aromas and flavors, rich in juicy blackberry and blueberry while also offering savory pencil shavings and dark chocolate. Leathered, firm tannins complete the picture, providing structure and integration to a wall of well-managed oak.