The W.S. Keyes Vineyard is one of the last remaining Chardonnay blocks on Howell Mountain. Approximately 30% of the fruit is sent directly to press, then to barrels, where it undergoes native fermentation. The remainder is fermented with sweet lees and divided between barrels and 130-gallon new French oak puncheons, with the rest aged in used barrels. The wine undergoes 22 months of lees stirring but does not undergo malolactic fermentation, and in the end, only 12% of the oak is new. Winemaker Chris Carpenter notes that he picks around 21.5° Brix to preserve the character of orchard and underripe orchard fruit, rather than veering into tropical tones. The resulting wine is light, bright, and pure, with delicate aromas of orchard fruit and white flowers. On the palate, it expands with mid- palate richness and deeper, baked orchard fruit notes, a subtle honeyed depth, and impressive saline-acid tension that builds into a finish with length that lasts for days

The Sycamore Vineyard is an 8.9-hectare site in Rutherford, planted at the base of the
Mayacamas Mountains on gravelly clay loam soils that are shallow and shaded. The vines
struggle to ripen here, which proved advantageous in the warmer 2022 vintage. This year’s
blend is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, aged for 20
months in 64% new French oak. The wine is strikingly cool in character, evoking the
sensation of a damp redwood grove or a shaded cluster of sycamore trees. It’s deeply
fragrant and truly expressive of its site—unique and unmistakably place-driven. Full-bodied
with chocolate-scented tannins and subtle spearmint nuances, it layers in freshness and
finishes with loamy earth and dark cinnamon, echoing the previous vintage. So precise, so
consistent—and a remarkable achievement in a challenging year.

In 2022, the blend for this single-vineyard Cabernet is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6%
Merlot, aged for 20 months in 61% new French oak. The vines here are earlier ripening and
avoid the aggressive grip often associated with Rutherford tannins. Instead, the tannins are
superfine, supporting a medium-bodied richness that makes the wine especially
approachable in this vintage. Ripe, sweet fruit leads the way—black cherry and fig layered
with blue fruit that fills in the gaps—while the polished structure resolves into a rocky
mineral character, complemented by intense cocoa powder and forest berry notes. Rich,
layered, and immediately accessible. The Bosché Vineyard has a storied history with
Freemark Abbey. In 1972, the winery’s partners secured a long-term agreement with grower
John Bosché for his Rutherford Cabernet, which had previously been sold to Beaulieu
Vineyard as a component of its flagship Georges de Latour bottling. Since 1970, Freemark
Abbey has bottled Cabernet Bosché. The 8.9-hectare vineyard sits on a gravel bench with a
high water table and requires careful canopy management to control vigor

A complex and layered wine that is fresh, persistent and evocative of this famous vineyard. On the nose bright red berries and cherries mingle with resinous herbs. The palate is fresh and juicy, with that same mix of raspberries, cherries and herbs. Taut and mineral-driven finish. Medium- to full-bodied. Drink or hold.

The beauty of this wine is that, for the most part, the Loire Valley’s Touraine region (just west of Sancerre) isn’t known for producing higher-end wines, at least on the American market. Here, this bottling from Oisly (the commune where the grapes come from) shows that wines from the large wine making zone can still exhibit finesse and focus. Compared to the more expensive wines of nearby Sancerre this wine punches far above its weight and shows just that. The nose brings subtle notes of pepper, citrus, orchard fruit, and river rock minerality. The mouthfeel is precise, but still showcases all of the best elements of this complex variety. The finish is elegant and lengthy.

Cherries, brambleberries, herb tea and forest floor create a complex, attractive nose. On the palate, blood oranges, Amarena cherries, violet pastilles and star anise are sappy and well structured, and a savory dusting of crushed rock and toasted fennel seeds anchors it through the finish. Drink or hold, but patience is warranted.

This red has the energy and structure for the cellar, but enough fruit to make it hard to resist in the next few years. Bay laurel and mountain scrub notes are spiced with cracked pink peppercorns and layered with Rainier cherries, black raspberries, cocoa powder and hibiscus. Terrific complexity. Drink or hold.

Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2022 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard pops from the glass with vibrant notes of kirsch, freshly crushed cranberries, and roses, plus hints of lavender and Provence herbs. Full-bodied, the palate is dense yet shines with bright red berry flavors, supported by grainy tannins and impressive tension, finishing long and minerally.

Pale lemon-gold color, the 2014 Fog Dance Vineyard Blanc de Noirs slowly emerges with evocative
scents of Red Delicious apples, rose bud tea, crunchy pears, and croissant, leading to hints of red
cherries and marzipan. The palate is surprisingly intense with red berry and cherry flavors and a
crisp backbone supported by a very fine mousse, finishing long and fantastically pure. This was
disgorged in August 2024. It has 0 grams per liter of dosage. Only 90 cases were made.

The 2022 Cabernet Franc offers a gorgeous array of red and black fruits as well as lots of floral and sappy herb notes, hints of chocolate, and some classic Mount Veeder wild herbaceous, resinous characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, with beautiful purity and depth, it delivers classic varietal nuances while staying balanced and structured. Aged for 22 months in 70% new French oak, it’s a compelling Cabernet Franc from this challenging vintage that will evolve for a solid 15 years.

The 2022 Caladan Red Wine Napa Valley is a gorgeous Bordeaux blend that delivers a seamless,
full-bodied profile that ranks, unquestionably, with the top wines of the vintage. Based on 37%
Merlot, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Malbec, 16% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot, aged 22
months in 54% new French oak, it offers a complex bouquet of black cherries, cassis, darker
chocolate, graphite, and spicy oak nuances. Rich and full-bodied on the palate, it has a pure,
layered mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, and outstanding length. This awesome wine will benefit
from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for 15+ years. Hats off to Carpenter for this incredible wine in
a challenging vintage.

A ripe yellow/golden color, the 2023 Chardonnay Seascape Vineyard is bright and spicy on the nose with notes of white pepper, flinty reduction, lime zest, green apples, and fresh f lowers. The palate is focused and bright, with refreshing, mouthwatering acidity, an elegant and refined feel, and refreshing saltiness on the finish. From the first coastal ridge overlooking Bodega Bay, it’s refreshing now and has the structure to drink well over the next 10-12 years.

From Russian River Valley, the 2023 Chardonnay Jennifer's Vineyard is a bright golden/yellow color and offers ripe notes of dark wet stones, grilled pineapples, baking spice, honeyed citrus, and candied ginger. The full-bodied palate delivers persistent driving tension and acidity, with the power you expect to see from the rich ripeness of the Russian River Valley but the tension and acidity from cooler sites. It has a powerful feel and is built to last over the coming 10-12 years.

From the Russian River Valley, the 2023 Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyards is a wine Hartford Court has been producing for 25 years. It comes from four vineyards in different areas of the appellation but all with old vines averaging around 45 years. The color of the 2023 is a richer yellow hue, and the wine itself is by far the most powerful, assertive, and ripe of the Chardonnay I tasted, with notes of baked golden apples, poached lemon, smoky earth, and marzipan. The palate is full and broad, with a mouthwatering spine of acidity that balances out this richly structured wine. It has a long finish and a noble feel. Drink 20252037.

Also coming from Green Valley, the 2023 Chardonnay Fog Dance Vineyard is a bright yellow color and is more focused on the nose, with lifted reductive notes of flint, lemon and lime zest, white pineapple, citrus blossom, and green apples. The palate has more tropical notes coming through, with a focused feel of acidity that closes on the finish. It’s my favorite of these Hartford Court whites and has a more energetic feel that suggests it will improve with time over the coming 10 years.

The 2023 Pinot Noir Sevens Bench Vineyard from Carneros is a jeweled ruby color and takes on notes of dark wild black raspberries, mossy earth, and fresh violets as well as savory but fresh hints of porcini. Medium-bodied, it has more richness, with ripe tannins and a savory, snappy, iron-rich feel that closes it out and accents the finish. It has a deeper feel but remains refreshing and is going to drink well over the coming 15 years.

A transparent bright ruby color, the 2023 Pinot Noir Seascape Vineyard comes from the West Sonoma Coast and reveals pretty, focused, bright aromas of ripe cranberries, fresh rhubarb, sea spray salinity, and fresh wildflowers. The palate has a medium-bodied frame with a linear feel, offering bright acidity, a mouthwatering feel, ripe, chalky tannins, and a zesty f inish. It’s going to benefit from another 6 or more months, although I love the snappy freshness and tension this wine brings Drink 2026-2040.

A bright ruby color, the 2023 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard comes from the Russian River Valley and leads with notes of dusty earth, ripe cherries, roses, brambly fresh herbs, cinnamon, and toasted cedar. The palate is bright and has a mouthwatering feel, with ripe tannins and a good deal of focused length, with a kiss of sweet strawberry fruit on the f inish. It Drink 2026-2040.

Pouring a dark magenta/purple color, the 2023 Zinfandel Russian River Valley is deeper, offering notes of black cherry cordial, dark chocolate, lavender oils, wet stones, and dark sappy earth. The palate is full-bodied, with a broad-shouldered tannic structure that has an even feel, while refreshing acidity holds this wine together. It’s well-structured and has the ability to age over the coming 10 years.

Pouring a bright golden/yellow hue, the 2022 Chardonnay Upper Barn offers notes of beeswax, melon, peach, toasted spice, and smoky earth. The palate is full and decadent, with notes of citrus oil and almond, and there’s a pithy, lightly bitter structure on the finish. It’s an opulent and rich wine with a lot of power and depth and a mouthwatering feel after the wine is gone. There’s a richness of extract, but it’s built with a well-crafted touch. Drink 2025-2035.

A deeper bright yellow color, the 2022 Chardonnay Gravel Bench is more introspective and deep with notes of brothy savory elements, toasted spices, yellow flowers, ginger spice, and yellow apples. It’s full-bodied and generous on the palate, with a supple glycerin texture and a ripe, long feel through the finish. An opulent wine, it should continue to drink well over the coming 8-10 years.

The fruit for the 2022 Chardonnay Broken Road is grown on a windier site at an 1800-foot elevation. The wine is a bright yellow hue and offers notes of minty herbs, pithy citrus, beeswax, and pineapple rind. It’s full-bodied but has more tension in the range, with a lush, ripe texture and a more cleansing, refreshing feel in its acidity. It’s very pretty and floral, accentuated with creamy citrus notes. It offers the most refreshing feel of these wines, which I really appreciate and gravitate toward. Drink 2025-2037.

Looking at Stonestreet’s ten-year release, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a deep red hue and reveals layers of redcurrants, cherries, fresh floral perfume, fresh leather, and elegant herbs. The palate is full-bodied, with an elegant feel to its refined, silky texture. While it’s full and ripe, it stays light on its feet, with fresh acidity. It’s fresh, floral, and even, with a savory feel. Drink 2025-2035.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Crown Vineyard is a saturated inky red color and is compact and deep on the nose, with notes of pencil lead, black cherries, compact currants, and cedar. It was raised for 32 months in 52% new French oak and is full-bodied and compact on the palate, with a lush ripeness, though it has a deep, dark earth-noted feel as well as notes of Puerh and cedar through the finish. It’s long on the palate and has the same savory depth that carries through all the wines of this estate. Give this one several years and drink 2027-2047.

The Red Mountain Cabernet from Quintessence and Shaw vineyards. The long, cool growing season on Red Mountain and the late October made this fruit shine: ample black stone minerality and warm spices with hints of clove. Gianna embraced the Red Mountain tannins, reminding her of the wines they made on Mt Veeder—20 months in 60% new French Oak.