"The 2010 Cappella, ( 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot and Merlot) reveals a dense purple color, and even grea...

"The 2012 Cappella, probably has less Cabernet Franc than his other cuvées but at least 25-30%. This wine has closed down since I had it from barre...

"The riveting 2007 Howell Mountain exhibits aromas of black raspberries, blueberries, crushed rocks and flowers along with full-bodied power accomp...

"The youthful dark ruby/purple-colored 2004 Madrona Ranch (500 cases produced) reveals a slight touch of lightening at the edge along with beautifu...

"The 2010 Madrona Ranch, which David Abreu told me he crop-thinned by at least 50%, is a more backward, tannic, brooding wine at present. An inky/p...

"The perfect 2012 Madrona Ranch displays notes of roasted coffee, forest floor, incense, Christmas fruitcake, blackcurrants and blackberry fruit in...

"The 2013 Madrona Ranch hits the magic three-digit score. It is literally a 30- to 45-year wine in itself. It behaves like a ripe, complex first gr...

"Nearly as good, but more forward and probably somewhat overshadowed, the 2014 Madrona Ranch is nevertheless a compelling wine. This sensational wi...

"The 2004 Thorevilos (200 cases) exhibits a deeper purple hue, and the nose is more restrained and closed than the Madrona Ranch’s. It offers up hi...

"Not far off the pace, the 2008 Thorevilos contains a slightly higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (by about 10%), but the Cabernet Franc compo...

"The 2010 Thorevilos seemed more tannic and backward than the 2009, which is somewhat of an anomaly in my tastings of these two vintages. Lots of e...

"The 2004 Aurus is not quite as large-scaled as the 2005 but makes up for it with elegance. This stylish wine has a splendid perfume of sandalwood,...

"Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard offers up notes of crème de cassis, mulberries, baked cherri...

"The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard comes from a vineyard that contains more river rock. It's very deep purple-black in color and r...

"The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) comes from a vineyard that contains more volcanic rock. Deep purple-...

"This is another magnificent wine. How much fun will it be to have the 2000, 2005, 2009 and 2010 in future tastings to see which vintage comes out ...

"Despite having over 40-plus acres of vineyards in the northeasterly sector of Napa just south of Calistoga, the production at Araujo remains relat...

"Despite having over 40-plus acres of vineyards in the northeasterly sector of Napa just south of Calistoga, the production at Araujo remains relat...

"A nose of black raspberries interwoven with floral notes of blackcurrants and spice jump from the glass of this dense ruby/plum/purple wine. This ...

"Tasted from magnum (the 750-milliliter bottle costs $285), the NV Brut (Gold) opens with lovely matured brioche, toast and ripe fruit flavors. Fre...

"The 2009 Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru from Rousseau is a comparatively extroverted, baroque rendition of this wine, and its bouquet is alread...

Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Chambertin Grand Cru 2004, 750ml

"Lastly, the virtually perfect 2014 Chardonnay Cix Estate, planted with a Montrachet clone on Goldridge soils, again exhibits amazing intensity, no...

"A barrel sample, the 2019 Chardonnay CIX Estate comes bounding out of the glass with grapefruit, green mango and orange peel notes backed up by wa...

"The 2012 Chardonnay East Side, a vineyard owned by top viticulturist Ulises Valdez, is a 1,000-case cuvee that reveals a liquified wet stone char...

"The 2013 Chardonnay East Side (1,000 cases produced) comes from a vineyard owned by Ulises Valdez and planted with the Montrachet clone. It is th...

"Absolutely profound is the 2014 Chardonnay Eastside, from the vineyard owned by well-known viticulturalist and farmer Ulises Valdez and planted wi...

"The 2012 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons (1,000 cases) comes from a 4-acre vineyard that produces nearly 1,000 cases. The straw color reveals a g...

"Mark Aubert notes that this is a complex vineyard. It is planted to four different clones: two Old Wente clones, Mount Eden and Corton Charlemagne...

"Lauren Vineyard (named after Mark Aubert's daughter) is the first vineyard Mark Aubert ever bought. It is composed of gravel mixed with Goldrich s...

"The 2016 Chardonnay Sugar Shack Estate is opulent straight out of the gate, with stunning orange peel, candied ginger, nutmeg and ripe apricot wit...

"Sugar Shack is produced from Montrachet clone vines grown in Rutherford AVA. It is aged in French oak barrels, 70% new. A barrel sample, the 2019 ...

"A barrel sample, the 2019 Chardonnay UV-SL opens with compelling floral notes—honeysuckle and lime blossoms—over a core of red apples, green guava...

"A barrel sample, the 2019 Chardonnay CIX Estate comes bounding out of the glass with grapefruit, green mango and orange peel notes backed up by wa...

"The 2009 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard reveals a medium ruby color with purple nuances that is clearly less saturated than the 2008 or 2007 Pinot Noirs. ...

Aubert Wines Powder House Chardonnay 2018, 750ml

"A relatively new vineyard label for Aubert (the third vintage to be produced), the 2019 Chardonnay Powder House comes from eight acres of what are...

"Two bottles were badly corked, which is certainly a scary situation for a wine where only 1,000 or so cases were produced. However, a third bottl...

"The 2005 Ausone is a perfect wine of the vintage. It displays crushed rock, spring flowers, blueberry and blackberry fruit, a full-bodied mouthfee...

"Composed of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot aged in French oak barrels, 85% new, for 20 months, the 2015 Ausone features a deep garnet-purple co...

"The 1989 is inkier/purple in color than the 1990, with an extraordinarily sweet, rich personality offering up notes of smoke, melted licorice, bla...

"This big wine (nearly 15% natural alcohol) is a blend of 77% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. It boasts an opaque blue/purple...

"This perhaps somewhat controversial marriage between the estates of Chateau Belair and Chateau Magdelaine—both Premier Grand Cru Classé Saint-Emil...

Beringer Vineyards Private Reserve 1999, 750ml

"Another perfect wine is Bevan’s equal part blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the 2012 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain. Notes of unsmoked ciga...