The 2019 ‘Le Desir’ combines Cabernet Franc (83%) with the remainder Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. This shows beautiful red rose petals on the nose with suggestions of baking spices, anise and Turkish coffee. The palate is deep and heady with incredible intensity and a hedonistic bent. This is a total stunner. Drink 2025-2050.

Black berry, black olive, violet, iron, and bark aromas. Full-bodied with a solid center palate of fruit and tannins. Flavorful finish. Love the flavors and length. A blend of 78% merlot and 22% cabernet sauvignon. 323 cases produced. Try after 2027.

An abundance of bark, bay leaves, blue fruits and black currants. Lead pencil shavings coming through clearly, too. Full-bodied with a solid tannin backbone that runs the length of the wine and comes across layered and intense. Savory and so structured. A blend of 93% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. This needs time to soften. Muscular. Best after 2028.

So much black currant, dark fruit, pine cone, bark and pine needle aromas that show a depth and intensity with round, polished and creamy tannins. Medium to full body, with a complex and gorgeously flavored finish. A blend of 82% cabernet sauvignon, 6.5% cabernet franc, 5% malbec, 4% merlot and 2.5% petit verdot. Over 3050 cases produced. Give this three to four more years to come around.

A layered and flavorful red with black berries and blueberries with currants and chocolate. Iron, too. Full and chewy tannins that remain creamy. Savory with exotic spices. Cloves and Chinese spices. A blend of 88% cabernet sauvignon, 10% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. Mostly Sycamore and Boshe vineyards. The balance and harmony in this is really fantastic. And it can age. Drink or hold.

This is a new single vineyard wine with iodine, lead pencil and gravel, as well as currants. Full-bodied with firm and racy tannins that are slightly austere but in a sophisticated way. Vivid acidity. It needs time to come around but it’s already attractive with a citrus peel and blue fruit finish. Made from 100% cabernet sauvignon. 100 cases produced. Drink after 2026 but hard to wait.

A very fine tannined red with an energy that gives length and dimension with crushed berry and violet character. It’s medium to full body with subtle fruit and a fresh finish. So beautiful now. Blend of grapes from vineyards in the mountain sites of Diamond, Spring, Howell, and Mount Veeder. A blend of 80% cabernet franc and 20% merlot. 363 cases produced.

Lots of blackberries, blueberries and hints of crushed stones with some almonds and nuts. Full and velvety tannins with a juicy texture and a long and flavorful finish. Shows length and polish. A blend of 93% merlot, 5% petit verdot and 2% tannat. 674 cases produced. Needs time to soften and come together. Best after 2026.

This is such a beautiful white with sliced apple and pineapple with hints of lemon tart. Full-bodied with creamy texture and a lemon curd, honey, stony and fresh finish. Extremely energetic and long. 450 cases produced. Drink or hold.

Aromas of currants with lead pencil, bark and dried mushrooms. Fresh herbs, too. Full-bodied, with creamy and firm tannins that are polished and give great length. Chewy at the end. So long. Made from 100% cabernet franc. 377 cases produced. Give this three or four years to soften and beyond. One for the cellar.

Aromas of currants and bark as well as redwood and spearmint. Ink and iron. Medium to full body, chewy tannins with orange peel and hints of wood. This will come together nicely with bottle age. Dusty tannins. A blend of 94% cabernet sauvignon and 6% merlot. Better after 2026.

A big wine with layered tannins that give a soft cashmere texture, setting up the wine nicely with dark berries, chocolate, bark and fresh leaves. Full-bodied, chewy and flavorful with some sea shells and spices at the end. Tight. A blend of 54% merlot, 13% cabernet sauvignon, 13% cabernet franc, 13% petit verdot and 7% malbec. 377 cases produced. Best after 2026.

Love the aromas of currants, sweet tobacco, lead pencil, and hints of redwood. Medium to full body with beautifully integrated tannins that are polished and refined. Fresh and nicely balanced. A beauty. A blend of 94% cabernet sauvignon, 5% petit verdot and 1% merlot. So drinkable now.

Very aromatic and bright with some honeysuckle and lemon with some chalk and stone. Medium body with a creamy texture and a long and flavorful finish. Balanced and delicious. Drink now.

The finest vintage in the region to date, bridling pinot-like essences with a Mediterranean warmth. The tannins, a broad slake of sandy, pixelated grittiness. Vinous and old-vine forceful. Pithy red cherry, tamarind, musk and lilac drawn long, taut and exact. This is a stunning wine. Imperious, even. I'd love to see this in a decade or more. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

Clearly Australian, due to the ripeness of the fruit. Kirsch, rose hip and a scruff of dried thyme dousing a broad scape of gritty tannins and maritime tang. Very good. Best after 2026. Alkina Grenache Assembly tasting.

It is basically about the sweetness and how to tame it in the wine, without it going beyond the character of the grape itself. The wine here has an admittedly sweet, slightly jammy nose of plum, cherry, boysenberry and vanilla. But it is not heavy in smell and makes you want to taste the wine, which is soft and has enough acidity to balance the sweetness. The components of licorice, dark berries, chocolate and pepper show that this zinfandel is true to its origins and never goes overboard. An easy-drinking Californian that hits the spot when the spirit of Christmas comes to the table.

The finest vintage in the region to date, bridling pinot-like essences with a Mediterranean warmth. The tannins, a broad slake of sandy, pixelated grittiness. Vinous and old-vine forceful. Pithy red cherry, tamarind, musk and lilac drawn long, taut and exact. This is a stunning wine. Imperious, even. I'd love to see this in a decade or more. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

By some considerable distance, this is the best Pinot Noir release from this Kendall-Jacksonowned Chilean operation. Showcasing the 667 and 777 clones, grown on quartz and granite
soils, it has alluring perfume, layers of juicy, sappy raspberry and black cherry flavours, wellhandled 15% new wood and polished tannins. 2024-29

Tender red fruit aromas. Smooth and quite elegant: raspberries, strawberries and cherries, subtle pepper. Savoury complexity and smoky notes. Drink 2023-2030.

No fewer than four different clones (4, 76, 96 and 548) are used to produce this stylish Itata Valley Chardonnay. Fermented with full malolactic and aged in 15% new wood, it’s a ripe but well-balanced style showing pear, lemon butter and citrus flavours and top notes of vanilla and cinnamon. 2024-28

Young, vibrant, Ripe forest fruit with strong, leafy, vegetal notes. Ceylon tea blends with mellow cherry. Structured and bursting with fruit. Drink 2023-2030.

Youthful, vibrant, ripe red fruit aromas, dried herbs and a hint of spice with lifted toast. Round and creamy with a warm, citrussy concentration layered with ripe, juicy dark fruits and balancing freshness.

A fabulous wine of focus and polish with very fine tannins that caress your palate and give great length to the finish. Medium to full body. The aromas of violets and currants are so beautiful. Dreamy. Best ever? A blend of 92% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, 2% merlot, 1% malbec and 1% petit verdot. A total of 3830 cases produced. Give it three to four years to soften.

Lovely purple fruits with violets, lead pencil, mint, crushed stones, pine needles, resin, and ceramic. Medium to full body with ultra-fine tannins that show a silky beautiful texture. Blend of Stags Leap, Saint Helena, Yountville, and Atlas Peak plus all the mountain vineyards of Cardinale. A blend of 91% cabernet sauvignon and 9% merlot..