A big beast of a Cabernet, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Christopher's Vineyard comes from the estate in Alexander Valley (vines planted in 1991) and was brought up in a mix of new and once-used barrels. Blackcurrants, tobacco, candied violets, graphite, and plenty of sappy herb notes emerge on the nose, and it's full-bodied, with classic Sonoma minerality, a big, rich, opulent personality, and outstanding length. The tannins are substantial yet polished and ripe, and it has ample mid-palate depth. It will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for at least two decades.

Coming from 100-year-old vines, half of the Highwire vineyard parcel is head-trained and half is trained on a high wire, permitting greater sun exposure and promoting even ripening. The 2018 Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard was aged in French oak, 51% new, for 10 months. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose is a little closed and broody to begin, giving way to notes of black cherry compote, blueberry pie and raisin cake followed by nuances of garrigue, fragrant soil, white pepper and bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is lively and chock-full of juicy black fruits, supported by chewy tannins, finishing long and peppery.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThe 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Christopher's Vineyard is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged for 20 months in French oak, 73% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it delivers a gorgeous nose of red currant jelly, Morello cherries and black currant cordial with hints of chocolate mint, tree bark and cardamom. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, featuring crunchy, densely laden fruit flavors and a firm, grainy texture, finishing with great length, freshness and a touch of minerality.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThe 2018 Chardonnay Gravel Bench Vineyard was aged for 10 months in 100% new French oak. A little closed to begin, it soon opens out to reveal citrus fruit notions of lemon tart and lime cordial with a hint of yuzu, followed by pear drops and nutmeg with a waft of toast. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully generous with a satiny texture and a lively line leading to long, spicy finish.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesA blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, 1.5% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder was aged for 22 months in oak barrels, 82% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it springs from the glass with vibrant crème de cassis, baked plums and Morello cherries scents, followed by nuances of sautéed herbs, clove oil, mocha and scorched earth. The full-bodied palate is densely laden with layers of black and blue fruits, sporting a rock-solid backbone of grainy tannins and great tension, finishing long and minerally.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThe 2018 Pinot Noir Far Coast Vineyard was aged for 16 months in French oak barrels, 39% new. A little closed to begin, with coaxing it reveals notes of warm black cherries, black raspberries and kirsch plus touches of mossy tree bark, cumin seed and fragrant soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers an impactful expression of red and black berry layers with loads of savory accents and a solid frame of fine-grained tannins, finishing long and earthy.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesA relatively new label coming from St. Rita Hills, the 2018 Chardonnay Radian Vineyard was 100% barrel fermented in French oak barrels, 30% new, and aged for 14 months. It sashays out of the glass with flamboyant ginger ale and spice cake scents followed by notes of pineapple upside-down cake, orange blossom and fresh pears. Medium-bodied, the palate is packed with pear and stone fruit flavors, delivering great tension, finishing long and spicy.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesThe 2018 Chardonnay Far Coast Vineyard was 100% barrel fermented in French oak barrels, 31% new, and aged for 15 months. It explodes from the glass with gregarious allspice and nutmeg notions over a core of warm peaches, guava and pear tart with suggestions of gingerbread and toast. Medium-bodied, the palate is much more elegant and restrained than the nose suggests, delivering seriously minerally notes and loads of freshness, finishing long and chalky.

USA, California, Napa Valley: More New 2018 ReleasesA new wine under the Caladan label, the 2018 Red Blend is composed of 41% Merlot, 25.5% Cabernet Franc, 25.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot. It was aged for 22 months in oak, 70% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose delivers beautiful fragrant notes of black cherries, red roses, chocolate box, licorice and boysenberries with stewed plums and eucalyptus at the core. Medium to full-bodied, the rich, plushly textured palate is nicely balanced by a lively backbone, finishing long with baking spices notes coming through.

Napa Valley’s Thrilling 2018s & 2019s, Part 1 The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerful, tightly wound wine that captures all the natural intensity of Howell Mountain. Blackberry jam, graphite, smoke ,iron and crushed rocks give this dark, massively tannic Cabernet a lot of character. Even after having been opened for several hours, the 2018 remains forbidding, with serious tannins that are going to require a good bit of cellaring before the wine becomes approachable.

42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 14% Petit Verdot. This is a cabernet blend. It’s worth studying. It has finesse, it has flavour, it’s finely-tuned and it feels flush through the finish. Oak and fruit are on great terms, tannin is perfectly formed, and acidity adds a line of freshness to the wine without moving a petal. It’s not a sweet wine but it’s ripe; it’s not bitter but there are layers of herbs; it’s not ‘big’ but it spreads across the palate impressively. It’s worth every cent.

I think this is maybe the best Trueman I can recall tasting. It’s true, man. There’s certainly a Napa-esque lushness about this, and the Cabernet Franc. Dark chocolate, ripe blackberry, flowers, garden herbs, spicy biscuit oak. It’s full-bodied, but not heavy, a flood of dark and persuasive flavour, cocoa richness of tannin, baking spices and sage, and a powerful finish, layered in with sweet tannin and surprising freshness. Exemplary Cabernet here.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018The flagship Chardonnay, the 2018 Chardonnay Upper Barn Vineyard comes from a high elevation block and spent 11 months in 46% new French oak. It shows the more rounded, supple style of the vintage and has beautiful depth and richness, a seamless texture, and layered notes of white currants, white flowers, crushed stone, and subtle brioche. Its oak is nicely integrated, and this rich, powerful, flawlessly balanced Chardonnay should continue drinking nicely for 7-8 years or more.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% each of Petit Verdot and Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Red Wine spent two years in 55% new French oak. This inky colored effort has an awesome nose of blackcurrants, charcoal, lead pencil, and smoke tobacco, with more chocolate and subtle oak emerging with time in the glass. It's concentrated, full-bodied, fabulously balanced, and just a gorgeous Sonoma Bordeaux blend that's going to have 20-25 years of longevity.

Sonoma: Another Brilliant Vintage in 2018From the Anderson Valley and a mix of clones (115, 667, 777 and Pommard), aged 16 months in 34% new French oak, the 2017 Pinot Noir Velvet Sisters reveals a ruby/translucent color to go with a kiss of the blue fruit that's always present in Anderson Valley Pinots intermixed with Bing cherries, savory herbs, dried earth, and candied violets. Playing in the medium-bodied end of the spectrum, it has good acidity, plenty of structure, and a great finish, yet its seamless, pure texture is what stands out. My money is on this blossoming with 2-3 years of bottle age, and it's going to drink nicely for a decade. It's impressive.

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyard comes from a vineyard located at the end of Bella Oaks Lane in Rutherford. This has slightly less Cabernet Sauvignon than the Bosche Vineyard, at 84%, and the rest is Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, aged three months less in oak. Loads of clove, sweet blackberry and cassis, black olive tapenade and earthy forest floor notes are all present in this wine that shows dazzling richness, a heady full-bodied mouthfeel and stunning finish. The wine is slightly more evolved with the tannins and structure less present than in the Bosché.

USA, Northern California, Napa Valley: 2016 & 2017 – A Tale of Two Vintages Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2016 Maggy Hawk Pinot Noir sings of lilacs and red roses with a core of warm cranberries, raspberry leaves, kirsch and black tea with hints of underbrush and tobacco. Medium-bodied, it fills the palate with elegant, intense red berry and earthy layers, supported by ripe, fine-grained tannins and compelling freshness, finishing very long.

This wine's vineyard sources include Rutherford, To-Kalon, Mt. Veeder, and Keyers Vineyard on Howell Mountain. The wine's opaque purple color is accompanied by a glorious nose of licorice cassis, lead pencil, and minerals. Sweet, with a terrific attack displaying stupendous ripeness, full-bodied richness, and a natural texture with a super-concentrated mid-palate and finish, this is a star of the vintage.

Napa Valley: 2007 Retrospective - Napa's Turning-Point Vintage Composed of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot, the 2007 Proprietary Red Wine still possesses a youthful deep garnet-purple color and gives up a truly gorgeous nose of crème de cassis, blackberry pie and blueberry compote with notions of Chinese five spice, licorice, mocha and dusty soil plus wafts of cardamom and smoked meats. Full-bodied, rich and totally seductive in mouth, it has a firm frame of super ripe, grainy tannins with oodles of freshness and epic persistence.

Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir Hapgood has notes of black cherries and black raspberries with hints of black pepper, dried herbs and damp earth. Medium to full-bodied, rich, densely and superbly structured with grainy tannins and a racy acid line, it has an epically long, complex finish. Yum.

A real blockbuster, and one meant for 25-30 years of cellaring, is the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso Vineyard, made from 50-year-old vines. Treated like the Reserve Speciale, aged 30 months in oak prior to being bottled unfined and unfiltered, this shows off this hallowed terroir that is now owned by the Gallo family. A very full-bodied wine with notes of cedar and black cherry liqueur intermixed with creme de cassis, graphite, and loamy soil notes, the wine is deep, chewy, full-bodied, and intense. The tannins are high, but the fruit and concentration are more than adequate to match them. Give it 3-4 years of bottle age, and drink it over the following 25-30+ years. This should be a brilliant wine down the road.

The 2015 Valadorna (65% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot) is a dark and thickly endowed red wine that boasts a rich and lasting grip on the palate. The bouquet offers depth and complexity with dark fruit, leather, cured tobacco and spice. There are also softer notes of chocolate and ground espresso beans. The wine's seamless integration of flavors leads to increased momentum and intensity as the wine continues to open in the glass.

The 2012s are the most showy and forward of the three vintages, which is not surprising, since the vintage is flamboyant and they are already three years of age. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana (1,317 cases) is a beauty. Loads of chocolate, crème de cassis, black cherry and crushed rock are all present in this broad, savory, full-bodied, multi-dimensional wine. This is a gorgeous wine with terrific intensity and, while approachable now, should continue to evolve for at least 20-25 years.

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard is cut from the same cloth. Its opaque purple color and sweet creme de cassis fruit intermixed with crushed rock and forest floor notes lead to a broad, rich, full-bodied mouthfeel with excruciatingly high tannins and intense power and richness. It should be forgotten for at least a decade.

These high elevation Cabernet Sauvignons, culled out from a larger vineyard, are remarkable offerings with aging potential of 25+ years. Readers looking for slightly more structure and Mouton Rothchild-like nose of creme de cassis, licorice, black currants, cedar, and a hint of bay leaf should check out the Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota. The tannic, impressively endowed, full-bodied Helena Dakota is clearly meant for true connoisseurs with cold cellars as well as the patience to wait 5-6 years for it to evolve. It is a 25- to 30-year wine...at a minimum.