Press & Reviews

A terrific value, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is medium-bodied and balanced, with a terrific sense of purity and freshness in its ripe red and blue fruits, tobacco, lead pencil, and subtle floral nuances. It’s not massive but shines for its overall balance and vibrancy. It would be a great wine to buy a case of and drink over the coming decade.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is deep garnet-purple in color. Notes of creme de cassis, chocolate mint, and redcurrant preserves leap from the glass with underlying suggestions of crushed stones, mossy tree bark, and cast-iron pan. The full-bodied palate is rich and impactful, with bright red and black fruit flavors and a firm grainy texture, finishing long and lively

Aromas of blackcurrants, iodine, oyster shell, and dark chocolate. Medium- to full-bodied with polished fine tannins that run the length of the wine with chocolate, hazelnut, and blueberries. Give it time to come together. Better after 2025.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is plump, juicy and super-expressive. A burst of dark cherry, plum, incense, tobacco and dried herbs race across the palate. Pliant and dense, with striking depth, the Napa Valley Cabernet is shaping up to be a winner.

The base 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley should certainly be outstanding. It offers classic darker cassis and cherry fruits, some graphite and chocolate nuances, medium to full body, and a plush, rounded, yet concentrated profile on the palate.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it gives up notes of stewed plums, baked blackcurrants, and fruitcake plus hints of tobacco, spice box, and bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers a good amount of juicy black fruits with a chewy texture and lively backbone, finishing savory.

Made with the goal of great Napa Cabernet at $50 bucks, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley succeeds admirably, offering gorgeous cassis, violet, and chocolaty aromatics as well as medium to full-bodied richness, a balanced, layered mouthfeel, and silky tannins. It competes with wines at three times the cost. The blend is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, aged 20 months in 75% new barrels.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the gate with loads of blueberry preserves and stewed black plums notes on the nose with faint suggestions of redcurrant jelly and rose hip tea plus a waft of wild sage. Full-bodied and jam-packed with ripe black and blue fruit, it has a soft texture and perfumed finish. 10,000 cases are due to be made. (Tasted as a barrel sample.)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is once again a fabulous introduction to this range. Pliant, supple and inviting, the 2019 has a ton to offer. Bright floral notes and soft contours add to a sense of immediacy that is impossible to miss. Dark blue/purplish berries, spice, licorice and new leather are nicely pushed forward.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color. It opens with expressive notes of warm cassis, black cherries, blackberries and fragrant earth with hints of bay leaves and black truffles. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers mouth-coating cassis flavors with compelling herbal sparks, framed by a lively backbone and wonderfully velvety tannins, finishing long.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is fabulous. Rich, plummy and forward, the Amici Napa Valley Cabernet makes a terrific introduction to the vintage. Even better, it is incredibly fairly priced. Succulent dark cherry, plum, mocha, spice and licorice are kicked up in this fleshy, open-knit Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink it over the next decade.

Moving to the Cabernet Sauvignon releases, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley reveals a dense purple color as well as a great bouquet of crème de cassis, scorched earth, camphor, new leather, and candied flowers. With medium to full-bodied richness, it offers terrific tannins and good mid-palate depth, with the fresh, pure, classy style of the vintage front and center. It competes with wines at two to three times the price and is going to evolve nicely for 10-12 years, if not longer.

A cooler style of Napa cab with blackcurrants, hot stones and violets that follow through to a full-bodied palate with creamy, polished tannins that integrate nicely on the palate and provide a delicious combination of fruit and character. Drinkable now, but give it just one more year. Try after 2021.

This is a fantastic red for the vintage. Excellent currants and berries with hints of cedar. Medium to full body. Juicy finish. Linear and well made. 90% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 3% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. Drink now.

Moving to the Bordeaux varieties, these are largely handled by Tony Biagi. The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is a good value and well worth checking out. It has textbook Napa Valley cassis and blueberry fruits along with piney/forest floor and tobacco nuances as well as some earthy, Graves-like gravelly minerality. Drink this medium to full-bodied, balanced, downright pretty Cabernet over the coming decade.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is soft, fruity and easy to like. I would prefer to drink it young, while the fruit remains vibrant, but at the same time, the 2017 needs a few years in bottle for the tannins to soften. Stylistically, the 2017 is bright and energetic, with notes of red fruit, flowers, cedar and white pepper that open up in the glass.

Youthful, this wine is blended with small amounts of Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Together, they form a core of earthy cedar, clove and pencil shavings, with a bite of thick tannin taking on a leathery texture. Dark cherry, black currant and dark chocolate melt on the palate into a velvety whole.

Intensely dark ruby color and a richly spiced nose. Vivid and lush with notes of spice and blackberry punctuated by lovely texture and length.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is a broad, sexy, seamless effort that has lots of classic dark fruits and floral notes, medium to full body, light tannins, and rock star purity of fruit. As Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon goes, this is first class value that delivers true Cabernet flare. Drink it over the coming 8-10 years.

There’s a depth and power to this Napa cabernet with blueberry, blackberry and currant character. Full body, racy tannins and a flavorful finish. Needs a year or two to soften. Drink in 2020.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is blended of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 6% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc aged 18 months in 70% new French oak. It has a deep garnet-purple color and notes of warm cassis, freshly crushed black berries, wild blueberries and cedar chest with hints of pencil lead, new leather, Marmite toast and black olives. Medium to full-bodied, firm and chock-full of juicy black fruit, it has a great line of freshness and firm grainy tannins paving the finish.

A rich and layered cabernet with chocolate, currant and hints of spice. Full body, round and juicy. Very pretty and delicious. Linear. Show tension and brightness. Drink now or hold.

Blended of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 1% Merlot, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and spicy nose of cloves, cardamom and Sichuan pepper over a core of cassis and menthol. Medium to full-bodied with a great core of expressive black fruit and spicy undertones, it delivers a velvety texture and good length.

The freshness to this is impressive with violets, stones, currants, and rose leaves. Medium to full body and firm and silky tannins. Very beautiful for the money. Drink of hold.

Juicy and fresh red fruit meets an herbal woody component in this wine—a nod to its inclusion of 12% Cabernet Franc. Firm, integrated tannins support the full-bodied frame of approachable richness and plush texture, working toward a seamless whole.

This is a big, lush, juicy wine with grip and a fully-formed body, accented with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. A great deal for the quality, it’s well made and deeply satisfying in highlights of coffee, cedar, mocha and blackberry, girded by a firm structure.

Delivers a core of ripe blackberry and wild berry flavors, supported by lively acidity and firm tannins. Ends with a persistent fruit- and cedar-driven. Drink now through 2026.

Relatively affordable for its appellation and variety, this wine offers classic notes of cassis, currant and clove, punctuated by eccentric bursts of gun powder and espresso. The devilish characteristics are complemented by a smooth, silkiness to the texture and a measured finish of black pepper.

The deep ruby/plum/purple-tinged 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa offers notes of cassis, blueberries, graphite and toasty vanillin. A nicely proportioned, medium to full-bodied, seriously endowed, elegant, restrained wine with admirable purity, it can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 years.

Leading off the Cabernet Sauvignons, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve should be snatched up by savvy readers. A blend of 90% and the rest tiny amounts of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot aged 18 months in 100% new oak, its deep purple hue is followed by a rocking bouquet of blue fruits, camphor, tobacco, and leather, with just a kiss of background oak. Coming from a mix of notable sites, this medium to full-bodied, concentrated, classic 2021 will evolve for at least 15 years if well stored. It’s with the best at the price.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve offers plums, menthol, and savory notes with charcuterie, earth, and pencil shavings. The full-bodied palate is bright, lively, and wonderfully fresh, with a grainy texture and long, minerally finish.

A cab with lots of currant and blackberry aromas with some fresh herbs such as sage and lead pencil character. Lots of crushed stone and cement as well. Medium to full body. Firm and polished, Extremely long and vivid. A blend of Hudson, Morisoli, and George III. Shows the magic of 2021. Needs two or three years to soften and come together.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve marries energy and depth. In most vintages, the Reserve is an under the radar gem. The 2021 is another terrific example. Bright acids and beams of tannin run through a core of dark fruit. Mocha, tobacco, cedar, licorice and chocolate linger. The 2021 is a bit firm, but time in bottle should take care of that. Once again, the Reserve looks like it will be one of the stars in this range.

Always a beautiful wine, as well as one of the best values out there, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve offers lots of chocolaty red and blue fruits as well as medium to full body, an elegant, perfectly balanced mouthfeel, classic Cabernet spice, leather, and dried herbs, and a great finish. It shows the quality of the vintage and will be a no-brainer purchase.

Marked by scents of brown sugar and cedar, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve backs those with blackberry and cassis notes. Full-bodied and intense, it’s a big, slightly rugged effort that may lack the polish of the single-vineyard wines here, but it delivers ample richness and flavor.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is composed of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with sauteed herbs, pencil lead, and damp soil notes over a core of red and black currant preserves, blackberries, and Morello cherries. Medium to full-bodied, it is juicy, firm, and grainy, with a lively line and lifted finish.

Aromas of blackcurrants, hazelnuts, chocolate and violets follow through to a full body with round, creamy tannins and a pretty finish. The soft and juicy texture makes it attractive now, but better in three to four years. Try after 2025.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley comes from a mix of all the single vineyards. Readers should never overlook this type of wine, as the ability to blend from multiple sites gives winemakers incredible flexibility, and these wines can represent smoking values. Full-bodied aromas and flavors of currants, chocolate, lead pencil, and graphite emerge from this beauty, and it’s ripe, mouth-filling and balanced, with a great texture. It’s in the running for the best Napa Cabernet Sauvignon at the price point.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is composed of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it prances out of the glass with showy notes of warm cassis, baked black berries, Black Forest cake and menthol, plus suggestions of cardamom and licorice. The medium to full-bodied palate is refreshing and elegantly styled with bags of juicy, expressive black fruits and a satisfyingly savory finish. 1,600 cases are due to be made. (Tasted as a barrel sample.)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve remains the hidden gem in this range. Naturally, it does not have the singularity of the vineyard designates, but then again, that whole concept (with a few exceptions) is very new to Napa Valley, where historically most wines were blends. That concept works so well in the Reserve, a wine that takes elements of several sites for a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Gravel, spice, leather and sweet spice open with a bit of air, but ultimately it is the wine’s balance that really says it all. This is a fabulous showing.

A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is deep garnet-purple in color, striding confidently out of the glass with classic notes of baked plums, blackberry pie and blackcurrant cordial plus hints of cedar, unsmoked cigars and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and featuring impressively pure black fruit flavors, the palate delivers a firm texture of ripe, fine-grained tannins, finishing long, layered and with lovely freshness.

The Napa Valley ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon from Amici opens to seductive aromas of black cherries and dark currants with roasted coffee, loam, sweet spices and hints of anise and fresh violets all taking shape in the glass. On the palate this possesses a gorgeous textural richness with remarkable balance and structure. Beautifully polished tannins lead the way as this displays excellent depth and concentration with lovely underlying acidity keeping it fresh and inviting through the opulent finish. This is a wonderful wine to approach early on and will surely have a long graceful evolution ahead.

Lots of walnut, chocolate, currant and thyme character to this with some wet earth and forest fruit. Vibrant nose. It’s full-bodied with lots of fruit and ripe tannins. Flavorful finish. Solid red. Drink or hold.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a fabulous wine, especially within its price range. Dark and ample, with striking depth, the Reserve is once again tremendous. I tasted it after all the vineyard designates, but that only served to show what a compelling wine it is. Power and sensuality are on full display.

Even more impressive, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve offers a denser purple hue to go with terrific notes of crème de cassis, licorice, scorched earth, camphor, and tobacco leaf. With medium to full-bodied richness and depth on the palate, it has nicely integrated oak, building yet sweet tannins, and a great, great finish. It will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and drink brilliantly for 15 years or more.

Complex aromas of crushed berries, chocolate, herbs and spices. Full body, creamy and round tannins and a lovely, flavorful finish. Soft and lightly austere. Enjoy the tannins through the center palate. 98% cabernet sauvignon, with petit verdot and cabernet franc.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a cellar selection… It’s one of the more plush, sexy wines in the lineup and packs full-bodied richness and depth as well as classic notes of crème de cassis, smoke tobacco, Asian spices, and chocolate. It’s already drinking nicely and should evolve for 10-15+ years.

A barrel sample blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc expected to age 22 months in 100% new French oak, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is very deep garnet-purple in color and reveals a nose of crushed black cherries, blackberries and cassis with hints of violets, redcurrants, garrigue, wild sage and beef drippings. The palate is medium to full-bodied and intensely fruited with a lovely savory core of fruit and plenty of red fruit sparks, finishing long and structured. 1,300 cases are expected to be made.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a potent, savory wine. Cedar, smoke, tobacco, menthol and licorice add shades of nuance as this dark, layered wine gradually reveals its considerable charms. The Cabernets in the Amici range are all strong, but if I had to pick only one wine to focus on, it would be the Reserve, as the blend of sites is truly magical.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is another deep, rich, powerful wine from this estate that has lots of gravelly minerality and dark chocolate notes as well as terrific cassis and blackberry fruits. About as classic as they come, it’s a smoking value and certainly competes with the single vineyards, which are more than twice the price. Want a great Napa Cabernet Sauvignon for under 100 dollars? Buy this.

The 2016 Amici ‘Reserve’ Cabernet is big, bold and utterly delicious. This begins with profound characteristics of ripe blackberries and black cherries, which come together with pencil lead, espresso, fresh-tilled loam, chocolate, sweet spices and roasted savory herbs all bursting from the glass. On the palate this does not hold back, offering a rich, full-bodied texture, with wonderful opulence and deep layers of ripe dark fruits that expand seamlessly through the wine. Displaying incredible depth and concentration, this majestic Cabernet continues to impress as it comes to an end with a long, mouth coating finish that goes on and on.

Aromas of blueberries and blackberries with hints of flowers and oyster shell. Medium to full body and firm, silky tannins that are polished and very pretty. Tight and focused. Lovely finish. Try in 2019.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc aged 22 months in 100% new French oak… Very deep purple-black in color, it offers beautiful crème de cassis, preserved plums, Black Forest cake and camphor with hints of chocolate box, aniseed and lavender plus a waft of pencil shavings. Full, firm and taut, it is packed with layered, crunchy black fruits, finishing long and structured.

Amici’s 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is gorgeous and also the hidden gem in this range of mostly vineyard-designates. Deep, ample and explosive, the Reserve packs a real punch. Dark red cherry, tobacco, scorched earth, lavender, raspberry jam and crème de cassis all develop in the glass. Today. the 2016 comes across as still in need of a few more years in bottle to be at its very best, but it is undoubtedly very fine.

This wine is impressively blended with 10% Cabernet Franc, showing a wealth of dusty plum, clove and cinnamon character up front and throughout. The fruit is predominantly from mountain vineyards. Soft, integrated texture shows its integration with the French oak, which supports instead of distracts.

This is tight and very firm and showing beautiful fruit. Full body, silky and reserved. Tension. Focused. All here. An excellent wine. Drink or hold.

Composed of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve sports a medium to deep garnet-purple color and nose of crème de cassis and blueberry preserves with an undercurrent of cedar, roses, bay leaves and fragrant earth. Medium to full-bodied with a soft, plush texture and loads of herbal and spice accents to the black and blue fruit flavors, it has a long, earthy finish.

Moving to the reserves, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Reserve offers more depth and richness, with lots of plum, currants, candied violets and exotic flower aroma and flavors. There’s a subtle forest floor note as well, and this medium to full-bodied effort has ripe tannin, beautiful purity and fine, fine tannin.

Black cherry, plum, lavender and violet are some of the notes that infuse the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. With its soft contours and plush fruit, the Reserve is another succulent Cabernet that will drink well with minimal cellaring. I am not sure where the Reserve fits in exactly within the Amici lineup, but it is undeniably quite attractive.

This is very structured and lifted with lovely aromas of flowers, dark berries and chocolate. Full body and firm and velvety tannins. Delicious on the finish. Just a hint of dryness keeps it all exciting. Drink or hold.

As for the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, this is a textbook Napa Cabernet Sauvignon with an opaque ruby/purple color, notes of pen ink, lead pencil shavings, underbrush, blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, subtle background spice and oak. It is medium to full-bodied and offers low acidity and velvety tannin. Drink it over the next 12-15 years.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve sports a black label and has more concentration and richness. This is well-balanced with sweet, well-integrated tannins, loads of crème de cassis, full-bodied and an approachability that gives it drinkability now as well as over the next 15-20 years.

A bright and aromatic red with mint, dark blueberry, and flower. Full body, firm and silky tannins; very tight and refined. A beautiful and approachable wine now but will certainly improve with age. Consistently excellent. Better in 2018.

This well-made wine opens in earthy compost and black licorice before unwinding a topknot of grippy tannin. Even with its power and concentration, it offers velvety mouthfeel and an expansive wave of juicy, robust acidity, particularly on the finish, making good use of smaller additions of Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot.

A fleshy and velvety red with lots of blackberry, black currant and light dark chocolate aromas and flavors. Full body, flavorful. A “more-ish” young cabernet. Drink now.

Floral and lush, this majority Cabernet Sauvignon contains 10% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, combining for a structured, layered wine accented in black cherry, cedar and dried herb. From vineyards strewn across the Napa Valley, including mountainside sites, it offers power and finesse and should sit well in cellar through 2022.

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve ratchets up the level of fruit, extract, power and depth. This outstanding wine exhibits notes of blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries and flowers, sweet tannin nicely framed by subtle oak, medium to full body, and a rich, authoritative personality. It should drink reasonably well young and age nicely for 12-15+ years.

Lastly, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarossa Vineyard comes from a vineyard on Howell Mountain and, like all the Cabernet Sauvignon releases here, was brought up in new barrels. Bouquet garni, iron, cassis, and blue fruits all define this quintessential mountain Cabernet, which is full-bodied, has ripe, polished yet building tannins, a great mid-palate, and one heck of a great finish. It offers a touch of charm and pleasure today, yet this warrants 4-5 years of bottle age. It will see its 20th birthday in fine form as well.

The graphite comes through clearly here with blackcurrants, boysenberries and cherries. Full-bodied and plush considering it’s a mountain vineyard, with sweet fruit and decadence to the freshness. Drinkable but give it time to soften.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Cimarossa Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon features chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries, fruitcake, and plum preserves with hints of roses, fallen leaves, and damp soil. The full-bodied, muscular palate is firm, grainy, and earthy, finishing long.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarossa is dense and packed to the core. Ripe red cherry, red plum, iron, gravel, dried flowers and tobacco are some of the many notes that infuse the 2021 with real character. All the raw, unbridled power of Howell Mountain comes through in this striking, very young Cabernet. All the 2021 needs is time.

Lastly, from a site on Howell Mountain, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarossa Vineyard is more exotic, with a perfumed nose of blue fruits, forest, herbal, earthy nuances, and a hint of iron that develops with time in the glass. It’s another full-bodied, structured, even tannic 2021 barrel sample that has the required balance and purity. Give it a few years.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Cimarossa Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon gives up chocolate-covered cherries, mulberries, and blackcurrant pastilles with underlying notes of pencil shavings and fragrant earth. Full-boded, it is rich and plush, with bags of spicy fruit and a long finish.

Also all varietal, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarossa comes from a site on Howell Mountain and has textbook notes of red plums, blackberries, tobacco, chocolate, and sappy flower and foresty notes. Full-bodied on the palate, it has plenty of tannins, good balance, and a great finish. Drink it over the coming 15-20 years.

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarossa Vineyard displays a deep garnet-purple color. It leaps from the glass with lifted red and black currant preserves notes plus suggestions of black raspberries, ripe plums, candied violets and tapenade. The full-bodied, muscular palate is firm and rugged at this youthful stage, delivering a refreshing line and long, earthy/tarry finish. 150 cases are due to be made. (Tasted as a barrel sample.)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Cimarossa, from a site on Howell Mountain is loaded with complexity. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice and lavender are enshrouded by swaths of mountain tannin. Cimarossa is one of the most distinctive sites in Napa Valley. I can’t wait to taste this from bottle.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard is on another level and is a sensational effort that will be flirting with perfection at maturity. From a Grand Cru site outside of St. Helena, it has a riveting perfume of crème de cassis, blueberries, spring flowers, and darker chocolate. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful on the palate, it nevertheless has beautiful balance, the vintage’s vibrant, pure profile, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. Give bottles 2-4 years (if not a touch more) and enjoy over the following two decades.

This is another excellent Dr. Crane in 2021 with a plushness and roundness to the tannins and lovely fruit with a salt and chocolate undertone. Layered and integrated. Impressive.

The 2021 Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color. Bombastic notes of creme de cassis, blueberry pie, and violets burst from the glass, plus crushed rocks and fragrant earth. The full-bodied palate is muscular and firm, with fine-grained tannins and great tension, finishing long and minerally.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Crane offers tons of immediacy. A rush of inky blue/purplish fruit, spice, lavender and rose petal meld together. Plush and super-expressive, with no hard edges and fabulous balance, the Dr. Crane is gorgeous. This, too, needs time to soften.

A wine that looks like pure perfection is the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard, a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up all in new Taransaud barrels. Cassis, graphite, smoky black fruits, loamy earth, and green tobacco all make an appearance on the nose, and it’s full-bodied, deep, and layered, with perfectly ripe, polished tannins. Unfortunately, there are a scant two barrels made (50 cases), so count yourself lucky if you can latch onto a few bottles.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Vineyard is another 100% varietal release from Amici that has a darker, powerful profile in its black and blue fruits, liquid violet, candied orange, and chocolate-driven aromas and flavors. It’s medium to full-bodied, has a balanced, elegant mouthfeel, plenty of tannins, and a great finish. It needs to be hidden in the back of the cellar for 5-6 years, but it’s a gorgeous bottle of wine.

Luscious, relaxed and practically oozing with blueberry and cherry pie flavors, the wine has the signature Stags Leap soothing tannins. Aged in 100 percent new French barrels for 18 months, it shows how delicious and drinkable the district’s wines can be.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the Hirondelle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon gives up black plums, blackberries, and cassis, along with bay leaves, rocks, and bark plus a hint of violets. The full-bodied palate is muscular, firm, and grainy, with nice energy and freshness, finishing long.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Vineyard is elegant, classy and nuanced. Dark cherry, plum, lavender, mocha and chocolate all build in the glass. The 2021 is not the most potent wine in this range, but it impresses with tons of persistence and vibrancy.

All Clone 4, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Vineyard offers a sweet core of both red and black fruits as well as a more mineral-laced, iron, savory style that opens up with time in the glass. Rich and concentrated, it’s medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced.

A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Hirondelle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color. It gives up earthy notes of crushed rocks, wild fungi, and mossy bark with a core of baked plums, blackberry compote, and cassis. Medium to full-bodied, it is elegant and refreshing, with loads of savory sparks and great length.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle is a classic Stags Leap Cabernet with its more red and blue fruits as well as violets, flowers, and spice-driven aromatics. This is a slightly cooler terroir, and the wine is medium to full-bodied, has a vibrant, lively style, ripe tannins, and while it drops off slightly on the finish, it’s still a beautiful, elegant, satisfying 2019 that will evolve for upwards of two decades.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Vineyard is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it elicits provocative scents of baked blackcurrants, redcurrant jelly, blackberry pie and bouquet garni with Marmite and tilled earth nuances. Full-bodied, firm and grainy textured in the mouth, it has a lively backbone, finishing long with compelling red fruit sparks. 200 cases are due to be made. (Tasted as a barrel sample.)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle is quite delicate and aromatic in this vintage. Bright acids lend energy to the red fruit and floral notes. The Hirondelle is often harder to taste at this stage, but the 2019 is very pretty, in a decidedly sensual style. A touch of Franc gives the Hirondelle much of its unique character.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Vineyard comes from the Stags Leap region of the valley and offers a more perfumed, complex style in its red and black currants, dried flowers, smoked tobacco, and lead pencil-like aromas and flavors. Hitting the palate with full-bodied richness, it’s another flawlessly balanced, seamless wine from winemaker Tony Biagi that can be enjoyed any time over the coming 20 years or more.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Vineyard is composed of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out of the glass with vibrant expressions of crème de cassis, blackberries and Black Forest cake with hints of of dried mint, star anise and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers beautiful intensity, featuring spice-laced black fruit layers and great tension, culminating in a long, savory finish.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle is a real powerhouse. Iron, smoke, game, tobacco, mocha and dried herbs infuse the 2018 with striking aromatic intensity. In this vintage, the Hirondelle has a fair amount of Cabernet Franc (19%) which comes through in the wine’s aromatic flavor profile, structural feel and red-toned fruit profile.

Hirondelle Vineyard is the first vineyard in the Amici portfolio to come from the Stag’s Leap District in Napa Valley. It is a wonderful showing in this vintage, offering aromas of blackberries and currents and dark cherries, dried spices, herbs, incense, and some dark floral notes rounding out the nose. On the palate this is full-bodied, concentrated and well-structured with big powdery tannins. It goes on to give way to layers of ripe fruits and exotic spices that expand beautifully through the long finish. This is a wonderful Cabernet that is already drinking excellent at this youthful age, yet should continue to evolve for many years to come.

From Clos du Val’s holdings in Stags Leap, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Vineyard is a beautiful, complex, elegant wine that I’d be happy to drink any day. Lots of black, black fruits as well as notes of wet stone/earth, crushed rocks, and a hint of flowery incense all give way to a medium to full-bodied, vibrant, structured wine that has notable freshness and purity. This is a complex, layered, complete 2017 that can be enjoyed today or cellared for 20 years or more.

This is really wonderful with crushed currants, pine needles and flowers. Full body. Creamy and firm tannins. Structured. Lovely texture. 100% cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2021.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Vineyard is made of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 22 months in 100% new French Taransaud, Sylvain and Darnajou barrels. Very deep garnet-purple colored, it delivers hedonic blueberry pie, Black Forest cake and crème de cassis notes with hints of licorice, dried herbs and unsmoked cigars plus a touch of cedar chest. Full-bodied and firm, with lovely ripe, grainy tannins, it has well-balanced freshness and bags of layered blue and black fruit flavors, finishing spicy.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle is the most tannic and austere wine in this range. Massively structured and shut down today, the 2017 is far less showy in bottle than it was from barrel. Then again, we are talking about one of the very best sites in Stags Leap. Inky dark fruit, graphite, licorice, menthol and cedar are some of the many nuances that develop over time.

The team at Amici always seems to make the most of this valley floor site, and their 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is riveting stuff. All varietal aged 18 months in new barrels, this saturated purple-hued beauty has a monster nose of ripe black and blue fruits, smoke tobacco, chocolate, and a Pessac-like scorched earth and smoky quality that I just adore. Full-bodied, rich, and powerful on the palate, it has beautiful tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a layered, silky mouthfeel. This will drink brilliantly over the coming two decades.

So elegant and charged with good acidity and firm tannins, this wine is firm in the mouth and bright with red and black cherries that are pure and focused, leading to blueberries as it opens up. The structure will carry it for many years of further flavor evolution.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon opens with sauteed herbs over a core of cassis and black plums, plus savory notes and olives. The full-bodied palate is rich and dense, with bright fruit and firm, grainy tannins, finishing long and vivacious.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is fabulous. Rich, deep and wonderfully intense, the 2021 dazzles from the very first taste. There’s tremendous textural richness and viscosity, not to mention phenomenal balance. Inky purplish fruit, espresso, mocha and incense build into the huge, resonant finish. What a wine.

From an underrated vineyard on the valley floor, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Backstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard boasts a dense purple hue as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of pure cassis, spring flowers, violets, and tobacco, with beautifully integrated background oak. Deep, layered, concentrated, and balanced are all the buzzwords here, and I’d certainly be happy with bottles in the cellar.

Regular drivers on Highway 29 will have seen the sign for this vineyard next to Brix. Like the other Amici wines, the oak signature evident in the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is distinctive, with notes of brown sugar and scorched coffee set against black cherries and cassis. Full-bodied, ripe and concentrated, this is a rich wine with a long future, despite the fact that it can be drunk now by tannin hounds.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Missouri Hopper Cabernet Sauvignon offers a gorgeous perfume of kirsch, black raspberries, roses, and redcurrant over a classic cassis and cedar core. Medium to full-bodied, it is finely grained with firm yet approachable structure, leading to a long and minerally finish on this lovely wine.

Another tour de force is the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard, from a vineyard I continue to think is underrated. Blackcurrants, chocolate, tobacco, and a Graves-like earthiness all emerge from this full-bodied, beautifully layered, textured 2019 that’s already impossible to resist. Unfortunately, there are a scant 1,800 bottles made, but it’s well worth seeking out.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it sashays out of the glass with flamboyant scents of licorice, Indian spices and forest floor over a core of blackberry pie, chocolate-covered cherries and crème de cassis. The full-bodied palate is laden with decadent black fruits and loads of spicy sparks, featuring beautiful tension and very fine tannins, finishing long and fragrant. 150 cases are due to be made. (Tasted as a barrel sample.)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is wonderfully vivid, with a real sense of energy. Blue/purplish fruit, dried herbs, spice and wild flowers all come alive with a bit of coaxing. The 2019 is just a bit compact on the palate. It will be interesting to see if time helps flesh out the middle.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Missouri Hopper Vineyard is another wine in this lineup that’s a dead ringer for a top wine from the Pessac-Léognan region of Bordeaux. Revealing a dense purple/plum color as well as classic Cabernet notes of blackcurrants, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and gravelly earth, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. It has enough fruit to be approachable today yet is going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 20-25+ years.

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is redolent of blackcurrant jelly, kirsch and blackberry preserves scents with hints of bouquet garni, beef drippings and Sichuan pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is charged with fantastic energy and freshness, delivering intense black fruits lifted by a whole array of red berry and herbal accents, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and finishing long and savory.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Missouri Hopper is fabulous. A rich, explosive wine, the Missouri Hopper is endowed with tremendous intensity as well as pedigree. Dark fruit, gravel, chocolate, smoke, menthol, licorice and dried savory herbs infuse the 2018 with tons of character and nuance. It is unquestionably one of the highlights in this range.

Sourced from one of Napa Valley’s oldest and most prized vineyards, the Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolute knockout from Amici Cellars. It instantly bursts open with seductive aromatics of ripe blackberries, blueberries and creme de cassis that are laced with exotic spices, brown sugar, loam and dark chocolate that all explode from the glass. On the palate this is full-bodied with incredible depth and intensity. This is a big, concentrated and richly layered, Cabernet that is well-structured and retains excellent freshness through the long supple finish. Overall, this is a serious wine from Amici Cellars and looks to be the most impressive wine from this outstanding lineup in 2018.

A total knockout in the vintage, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper offers a ripe, powerful, full-bodied style as well as textbook Missouri Hopper notes of black, chocolaty fruit, smoked herbs, tobacco, and crushed rocks. This site doesn’t get the recognition it deserves and has produced some awesome wines over the past 4-5 years. With a great mid-palate, loads of pure, opulent fruit, integrated oak, and fine tannins, it dishes up loads of pleasure already yet will keep for 15-20 years or more.

A juicy, rich red with blackberries, plums and chocolate. Full and deep fruit. Velvety and creamy with lots of fruity and velvety tannins. Drink or hold.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Missouri Hopper is deep, plush and yet also wonderfully nuanced. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, leather, licorice, spice and menthol infuse the 2017 with tons of character. This flashy and exuberant Cabernet is one of the most open-knit and exuberant wines in this range.

Made of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 22 months in 100% new French oak—Taransaud, Sylvain and Darnajou barrels—the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is very deep garnet-purple colored and offers up expressive red and black currants notes with hints of fresh plums, dried Provence herbs, cedar chest and pencil lead with a waft of forest floor. Full-bodied, the palate has a lot more generosity than many 2017s, with a solid backbone of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and savory.

Quite dark and ripe, with fig and blackberry reduction notes that build steadily while licorice snap and Turkish coffee accents emerge through the back end. Late singed-alder note adds a nice touch. Drink now through 2027.

Just about perfection in a glass, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is another straight-up fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon from this great, great vintage. From a valley floor site just south of To Kalon, it offers La Mission Haut Brion-like notes of tobacco, lead pencil, and cold fireplace as well as sensational cassis fruit, full body, building tannins, and a deep, layered, sexy texture that needs to be tasted to be believed. It has the purity and elegance that make 2016 special yet also offers density, depth, and opulence. Don’t miss it!

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Missouri Hopper is a total stunner. Explosive and sumptuous, the Missouri Hopper has so much going on. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, chocolate, leather and earthy notes all run through this vivid, deeply expressive Cabernet. All the elements are simply in the right place in a gorgeous, resonant Cabernet Sauvignon that is positively singing today.

Very deep garnet-black in color, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard charges out of the glass with bold, expressive blueberry compote, black cherries, crème de cassis and hoisin notes with hints of Chinese five spice, dusty soil, licorice and camphor with a waft of smoked meats. Full-bodied with a gorgeous plush texture and seamless freshness, the palate is laden with black fruit and exotic spice layers, finishing very long and very fragrant.

A big and very rich red with so much fruit and intensity. Plums and blueberries. Dried dirt. Full body and chewy, polished tannins. Muscular and flexing. Needs two or three years to soften. Better in 2020.

A core of cassis, crushed plum and steeped blackberry flavors is pierced by savory, pepper, tobacco and cedar notes that persist through the finish, lending this a slightly rustic edge. Shows ample stuffing and will develop in the cellar. For fans of the style. Best from 2021 through 2033.

From a cooler site in Oakville, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Missouri Hopper Vineyard offers a huge, sweet, straight up gorgeous bouquet of crème de cassis, caramelized black cherries, lead pencil, spring flowers and white chocolate. Rich, opulent and concentrated on the palate, yet also elegant and seamless, it has fine, fine tannin, the purity and freshness of the vintage, and a great finish. Give bottles a few years and enjoy over the following two decades.

Very deep purple-black colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Missouri Hopper Vineyard delivers intense cassis and wild blueberries with touches of garrigue, Provence herbs and chocolate box, plus a waft of cloves. Medium to full-bodied, rich, opulent and very spicy in the mouth, it features velvety tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and earthy.

Powerful and imposing, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer- Missouri Hopper captures the essence of this famed Rutherford site. Dark cherry, spice, cured meats, menthol, new leather, bittersweet chocolate and a typical note of Rutherford dust run through this dense, imposing Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker Tony Biagi squeezed every ounce of potential out of this fruit. This is a gorgeous wine from Amici.

Lots of cherry notes with a sweet and sour undertone. Full body, juicy and intense. Seaweed character. Tangy and delicious. Needs a year or two to come together.

There’s a tight and linear fruit/tannin balance to this. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Even so, this is always agile and long. Better in 2019.

From the Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard in Oakville, Amici has turned out two gorgeous wines. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Missouri Hopper Vineyard has loads of chocolaty cassis fruit, underlying forest floor, loamy soil notes, medium to full body, light tannin, low acidity and a plush, well-textured, pure finish. Drink it over the next 15+ years.

This is very firm and chewy with a lots of blue fruit and almond aromas and flavors. Dark chocolate. Full and very rich. Powerful tannins and backbone. Needs time to soften. Big glass of wine.

The last of the 2013s from Amici is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Missouri Hopper. This outstanding source for Cabernet Sauvignon in Oakville has turned out a wine with a dense ruby/purple color, plenty of earth, charcoal, black berry and cassis in a rather classic set of aromatics. Complete, rich and full this wine should drink beautifully for the next 20 years.

This richly dense and full-bodied wine from a famous site offers grippy tannin and toasted oak, complementing spicy fruit highlights of dark cherry accented with vanilla.

Another sensational wine in the lineup is the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard, which comes from a great site in Rutherford. All Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in new barrels, it has a regal, full-bodied, structured yet lively style that brings beautiful cassis and assorted darker cherry-like fruits, building tannins, a gravelly earth-like sense of minerality, and the vintage’s pure, focused, incredibly impressive style. I love everything about this beauty, and while it offers pleasure today, it warrants 4-6 years in the cellar. It will drink well for at least two decades.

Lots of ripe fruit but not overdone with meat, blackberries and boysenberries. Full-bodied with plush, velvety tannins and a light toffee undertone. Lovely ripeness and opulence but framed and gorgeous. Drink in four or five years.

The 2021 Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color. It is so spicy on the nose, with floral and vanilla notes plus chocolate, warm cassis, and blueberries. The full-bodied palate is concentrated, fresh, and elegantly styled, fine grained and finishing long and fragrant.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard is laced with black cherry, plum, chocolate, gravel, spice and bay leaf. This deep Rutherford Cabernet has quite bit of density, but also less delineation and focus than the best wines in the range.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard comes from a valley floor site not far from Scarecrow. It’s another killer bottle of wine in the making and has a layered, rich, full-bodied style as well as lots of red and black fruits, notes of dried herbs, leather, and spice, ultra-fine tannins, and perfect balance. You’re not going to go wrong with any of these 2021s from Amici, and this one will most likely benefit from just a few years in the cellar.

Notes of scorched coffee, brown sugar and concentrated black cherries appear on the nose of the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard. From this prized Rutherford vineyard, this is a bold, dark-toned effort, full-bodied and muscular yet velvety, with a rich, chocolate-and-mocha finish.

A powerful, heady red with hints of coffee beans, toffee and raspberry liqueur, plus lavish oak spices. Satiny fruit on entry glides across the palate, revealing blackberry, blueberry, layers of earth and crushed stone minerality, and intense tannins. Finishes extremely long with pops of leather, tobacco and wild herbs. A lovely Cabernet from winemaker Anthony Biagi.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Morisoli Cabernet Sauvignon charges out with notes of Black Forest cake, blackberry preserves, and creme de cassis plus violets, espresso, and bay leaves. Full-bodied, it is rich and velvety with compelling purity and great length.

From a heritage vineyard in Rutherford, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard is all Cabernet Sauvignon that saw 22 months in new French oak. Beautiful red, blue, and black fruits as well as classic Cabernet herbal, cedar, and Pauillac-like lead pencil notes flow to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, yet incredibly elegant 2019 that does everything right. Drink it over the coming 15-20 years.

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard is deep garnet-purple in color. The nose sings of baked blueberries, stewed plums and crème de cassis notes with hints of tar, lilacs and iron ore. Built like a brick house in the mouth, the full-bodied palate is packed with muscular black fruits, finishing long and with great purity. 250 cases are due to be made. (Tasted as a barrel sample.)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard comes across as a bit wild and rough around the edges. Savory and soil tones that are so characteristic of this site abound, but the elements need a bit more cohesion. I trust that will come with time.

Possibly a candidate for perfection in 4-5 years, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard reveals a deep, dense purple/blue color to go with incredible notes of blueberries, crème de cassis, scorched earth, camphor, graphite, and a Graves-like earthy minerality. Full-bodied and powerful on the palate, it has beautifully integrated tannins, a solid spine of acidity, terrific mid-palate depth, and a blockbuster of a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. Give bottles 2-4 years in a cold cellar, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following two decades.

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard sports a deep garnet-purple color with exuberant notes of warm black plums, ripe black cherries and baked blackberries with hints of powdered cinnamon, dusty soil, black olives and tree bark. The full-bodied, decadently fruited palate is chock-full of black fruit preserves and baking spice accents, textured with velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering peppery note.

The Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a wondeful showing in this vintage from Amici. It begins with aromas of fresh blackberries, cassis and dark plums that come together with Asian spices, spring florals, pepper and hints of tobacco all coming together beautifully in the glass. Full-bodied and remarkably well structured, with wonderful concentration. It continues to impress as it shows wonderful freshness and depth through the ultra-long finish. This certainly displays excellent potential for long term cellaring and should go on to have an even brighter future ahead.

Wow. This is really spicy and intense on the nose with blackberries, cloves, cedar and hints of chili. Some ink, too. It’s full-bodied and chewy with intense tannins and lots of fruit and new oak. It needs time to come together. Try after 2024.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard is plump and juicy, with lovely forward character to match its mid-weight personality. The aromatics alone are so distinctive. Sage, mint, licorice, dried herbs and earthy notes in the bouquet lead to layers of dark fruit. There is a bit of old-school California in the Morisoli, but that just adds to its considerable allure. The 2018 is a bit reticent today, but it has quite a bit of potential if it comes together a bit more fully in bottle.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard is a rich, heady wine. Blueberry jam, spice, lavender, menthol and licorice burst from the glass in an ample, full-bodied Rutherford Cabernet that is loaded with personality. Broad and plush with tremendous tannic heft and intensity, the Morisoli just screams with personality. This has really come together over the last year. The 2017 finishes with tremendous nervy energy and vibrancy.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard comes from a site just beside Scarecrow and just screams “Cabernet!” on the nose with its pure currant fruits as well as notes of tobacco, chocolate, herbes de Provence, and smoked earth. It’s a more Bordeaux’ish release from this team and is medium to full-bodied and elegant, with bright acidity and a great finish. This is another wine that will benefit from a handful of years in the cellar.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisolli is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 22 months in 100% new French Taransaud, Sylvain and Darnajou barrels. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it has a wonderfully pure, beguiling nose of warm redcurrants, fresh blackberries and crushed blackcurrants with hints of pencil shavings, tilled earth, lavender and truffles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has bags of freshness and spritely red and black fruits, with a grainy texture and provocative lift to the finish.

Very fruity with lots of pure, crushed-blueberry and floral aromas. Full body, creamy and round tannins and a juicy finish. A rather big style, but shows firmness and chewiness. Generous and tense. Drink after 2021.

Frankly ripe style, with dark plum, fig and blackberry compote flavors laced with a touch of licorice root and singed vanilla through the finish. Has enough spine for balance and will have fans for immediate appeal. Drink now through 2027.

Aromas of lavender, blackberries and blueberries follow through to a full body, with tight and velvety tannins that are polished and tight. Lovely finish. Needs two or three years to come together. Try in 2021.

From a vineyard right next to the J.J. Cohn estate (where Scarecrow comes from), the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard is a rounded, layered, incredibly classy effort. Textbook notes of black raspberry and cassis fruits intermixed with plenty of tobacco, lavender, and spice all emerge from this medium to full-bodied, moderately structured, incredibly charming 2016 that can be drunk today or cellared for 10-15 years.

The 2016 Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolutely fantastic showing from Amici in this vintage. As this sensational Cabernet unwinds in the glass it begins to slowly release seductive and complex aromatics of ripe dark berries and cassis, which come together with pencil shavings, peppery spices, chocolate, violets and wild herbs all taking shape. On the palate this is full-bodied and beautifully structured, with big, yet nicely polished tannins which frame the ripe core of dark fruits, spring florals and spice flavors that resonate throughout. Displaying remarkable depth and concentration, this stunning Cabernet goes on to thoroughly impress as it comes to an end with an incredible long, supple finish that envelops the palate and lingers on effortlessly. While this is nothing short of spectacular today, the Morisoli Cabernet will also absolutely thrive in the cellar as it evolves gracefully for many years to come.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard is a dark, sensual beauty. Mocha, new leather, smoke and plum all add shades of nuance. Powerful and resonant in the glass, the 2016 has quite a bit to offer. Of all of these wines, the Morisoli appears to be the most affected by its recent bottling. That should not be an issue in a few years, when the 2016 starts to enter the early part of its drinking window.

One-hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon aged 22 months in 100% new French oak, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisolli is very deep purple-black in color and opens with very serious notes of blackcurrant cordial, plum preserves, baked cherries and blackberry compote with hints of dried Provence herbs, tobacco leaf and black pepper plus a waft of cedar chest. Big, rich, full and solidly structured with super ripe, grainy tannins and great freshness, it finishes long with a menthol lift.

Compact, with juicy red and black currant preserve flavors balled up in the middle of a range of sleek iron, floral and cedar notes. Features a focused and persistent finish. Best from 2023 through 2035.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Morisoli Vineyard comes from a site just beside Scarecrow, in the Rutherford region of Napa. Its deep ruby/plum color is followed by a classic, rich, concentrated Cabernet that has textbook notes of currants, tobacco leaf, crushed rocks/damp earth and white chocolate. Concentrated, black, inky and mineral-laced, it’s a seriously concentrated, backward effort that needs short-term cellaring, but is certainly impressive.

This has lots of cherry and seaweed character and some bark. Full and very dense and layered. A juicy and fruity finish. Tastes like excellent vintages of Scarecrow. So delicious now.

Produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli offers up a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed black cherries and blueberries with touches of cigar box, mocha and chocolate mint. Rich, full-bodied and decadently fruited, the generous black berry flavors are well framed by firm, grainy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing with lingering coffee bean and minty suggestions.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli is laced with super-ripe black cherry, blueberry jam, lavender, mint and spice. Sumptuous and forward, with notable breadth, the 2015 also offers a good bit of freshness within the context of the year. A dash of new oak is evident, but not at all intrusive.

This shows such finesse and balance. Full body and soft and silky tannins. Dusty texture and a gorgeous finish. Seamless mouthfeel. Drink or hold.

From the famous Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard comes from this well-respected site close to the iconic Scarecrow Vineyard. Extremely well-crafted, this intense purple-colored wine offers notes of creosote, graphite, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, cedar wood and a touch of vanillin in a full-bodied, opulently fleshy style. This sexy wine should be drunk over the next 15-20 years.

This is so refined and elegant with beautiful plum, walnut, chocolate and cream aromas and flavors. Full to medium body, firm and velvety. Long and flavorful finish. Softness. All in finesse. October release. Better in 2020 but so delicious now.

This richly dense and full-bodied wine from a famous site offers grippy tannin and toasted oak, complementing spicy fruit highlights of dark cherry accented with vanilla.

From the famous Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard has a distinctive earthiness, loamy soil undertones with blackberry and cassis fruit with a touch of flowers. The tannins are more elevated and pronounced in this than the Reserve. Give it five years of bottle age and drink over the following 20 years.

I like the blueberry, lilac, violet and nut aromas to this. Full-bodied, tight and reserved with fine tannins and a silky finish. Very delicious. Better in 2019.

A whiff of yeasty baked bread opens the bouquet of this 100% varietal wine that’s plenty juicy and drinkable right now. Plum surrounds integrated tannins and a powerful midpalate, suggesting an ability to age. The finish is all about mocha. Cellar through 2022.

Amici produces three single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons. From Rutherford, the dense ruby/purple-colored 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard possesses attractive notes of blueberries, raspberries and loamy soil, a striking elegance (very Margaux-like), a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel and impressive purity as well as texture. It should drink well for 10-15 years.

Dense and extracted, with chewy tannins wrapped around a core of dried dark berry, tobacco, dusty herb and cedar. Quite tannic, so you’ll end up chewing your way through the finish. Best from 2014 through 2024.

The dense ruby/purple-colored 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli from Rutherford boasts a stunning perfume of blueberries, black raspberries, acacia flowers and spice. This rich, layered 2010 is the most complete and impressive wine of this quartet. Still youthful, it will benefit from several more years of bottle age, and should drink well for two decades. Impressive!

A blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Oakville Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color. It leaps with vibrant redcurrants, black raspberries, and blackcurrant pastilles scents plus rose oil, crushed rocks, and fragrant earth. Full-bodied, it is tightly wound and vibrant with loads of energy, fine-grained, long and perfumed.

Moslty Clone 7 Cabernet Sauvignon (there is 9% Cabernet Franc), the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch offers up a dark, mineral-laced, chocolaty vibe as well as a deep, full-bodied, concentrated style on the palate. Coming from a great vineyard and aged 22 months in new barrels, it has a great sense of freshness, ripe tannins, and one heck of a great finish.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch Vineyard is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose is redolent of warm black plums, black raspberries and blackcurrant pastilles with touches of lavender, dried Provence herbs and tilled earth. Full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating black fruits with a firm, chewy texture and lively line of freshness, finishing long with an herbal lift. 150 cases are due to be made. (Tasted as a barrel sample.)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch comes across as not totally put together. Bright acid and mineral notes dominate today as a whole range of ferrous and earthy tones start to open. There is real depth and substance – this is Oakville Ranch after all – but the elements need time to fully meld together. The 2019 is an adolescent.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch Vineyard (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) needs a little coaxing to reveal emerging notions of plum preserves, wild blueberries and blackcurrant pastilles plus hints of camphor, tree bark, truffles and licorice. The full-bodied palate is concentrated and packed with black and blue fruit layers, with finely grained tannins to support and a lively backbone, finishing long with mineral sparks.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch is fabulous. Rich and explosive, the 2018 possesses tremendous density and volume. Bright acids lend freshness to play off the inky dark red/purplish fruit. I would cellar the 2018 for at least a few years, as it needs time to come together, but there is so much to look forward to.

Blackcurrants, blackberries and black cherries. Some raspberry jam, too. It’s very cool and compact with pretty fruit and a firm, creamy tannin structure that is polished and nicely chewy. Tight at the finish. Needs time to open. Try after 2024.

The 2018 Oakville Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon from Amici Cellars immediately grabs your attention with its aromas of ripe black cherries and dark currents that come together with exotic spices, earthy nuances, dark chocolate, licorice and forest herbs. This full-bodied Cabernet possesses wonderful opulence and beautifully concentrated fruit, which is supported by its well-polished tannins. It continues to impress as layers of ripe dark fruits expand across the palate leading up to the long finish. This is already a pleasure to drink at this early stage, however it also has all the characteristics that indicate it will offer a long drinking window ahead.

Coming from an incredible terroir in Oakville, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up all in new French oak. Its dense purple color is followed by a stunning nose of blackcurrants, black cherries, scorched earth, iron, and tobacco leaf-like aromas. Offering full-bodied richness on the palate, it has a stacked mid-palate, building tannins, and a great, great finish. It displays the more elegant, streamlined style of the 2018 vintage yet still brings plenty of richness and depth. It can be enjoyed today or cellared for 15-20 years.

This is a powerful and rich wine with crushed berries, blueberries and spices. Lush and austere at the same time. Full-bodied, creamy and seamless. Wonderfully polished tannins. 85% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. Drink after 2021, but already a beauty.

A more red fruit, floral, and mineral-laced wine, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch comes from a great site in the hills above Oakville, on the eastern side of the Valley. Based on 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, brought up in new barrels, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a terrific mix of richness and freshness, building tannins, and a great finish. It tightens up with air and needs a good 4-5 years of bottle age.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch Vineyard is blended of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot aged 22 months in 100% new French Taransaud, Sylvain and Darnajou barrels. Very deep garnet-purple colored, it bursts from the glass with exuberant blueberry compote, crème de cassis and plum preserves scents with hints of wild thyme, cigar box and dusty soil with a waft of iron ore. Full-bodied, the palate has a great core of generous black fruit preserves, framed by firm, grainy tannins, finishing long and savory.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch shows the ripeness and opulence of the year along with the bright acids that are so often found in wines from this property. A rush of sweet cherry, pomegranate, spice and blood orange build into the explosive finish. This is another super-distinctive wine in a range that continues to impress.

Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 22 months in 100% new French oak, the very deep purple-black colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch Vineyard comes charging from the glass with vibrant chocolate-covered cherries, crushed blackcurrants, blackberry pie and Chinese five spice with hints of wild sage, garrigue and unsmoked cigars. The palate is big, rich and full with a firm, grainy frame and oodles of freshness, finishing long on a provocative mineral/iron ore note.

The deep, rich, and concentrated 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch is full-bodied yet light on its feet, with good acidity and moderate yet fine, sweet tannins. Giving up notes of blackberries, currants, chocolate, and tobacco leaf, drink this layered 2016 Cabernet over the coming two decades. This cuvée comes from an incredibly rocky site in the Oakville AVA.

An addition in this range, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch captures the essence of what makes this rugged hillside site so compelling, specifically the interplay of exotic ripeness and bright acids. Succulent red cherry, rose petal, mint and sweet spice all infuse this vibrant, strikingly beautiful Cabernet.

This is very silky and polished with such length and texture. I am so in love with the mouthfeel. Full-bodied, integrated and tight. It really takes off at the finish. A great new wine. Don’t miss this. Try in 2022.

A full and structured cabernet with currants, hazelnut and chocolate aromas and flavors. Full body, firm tannins and flavorful finish. Drink or hold.

From the heart of Oakville, this 100% varietal wine is luxurious, silky and velvety on the palate, a masterful study of texture. Lengthy and balanced, despite its powerful fruit, it suggests dark plum and cassis, with just a tiny note of cherry, the tannins refined and chalky. Cellar through 2022.

The biggest of Amici’s 2012 Cabernet Sauvignons is, not surprisingly, from Oakville. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville boasts a dense ruby/purple color as well as a beautiful perfume of Christmas fruitcake, crème de cassis, graphite and spice. Full-bodied, opulent and pure, only four barrels (100 cases) were produced. It should drink well for a minimum of 15 years.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Bull Trail Estate is composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak. It has a very deep purple-black color and comes strutting out of the glass with notes of blackcurrant pastilles, baked plums and mocha with touches of fruitcake, black soil and chargrill. Big, rich and concentrated, the generous fruit is framed by ripe, grainy tannins, and it finishes long and savory. 120 cases produced.

This is very tough and tannic with a very attractive and esoteric character to the nose and palate. Full body. Chewy. A little rustic, but shows site-specific personality. Drink in 2020.

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2019 Spring Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon gives up warm cassis, black cherry compote, and cedar plus sauteed herbs, tobacco, and new leather. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm, grainy, muscular, savory palate with an herbal lift on the finish.

More scorched earth, graphite, flowers, and both red and black fruits emerge from the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain, which is 100% varietal from the Fern Rock Vineyard near the top of Spring Mountain. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with firm tannins yet beautiful fruit, give bottles 2-4 years and enjoy over the following 15+.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District is one of the more accessible wines in the range. Crushed flowers, mint, sweet red berry and blood orange all run through this bright, impeccably polished Cabernet. I liked the 2019 more from barrel, but then again, Spring Mountain Cabernets often shut down after bottling. It will be interesting to see where this ends up in a few years’ time.

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District has a deep garnet-purple color and fragrant notions of warm cassis, blackberry pie and menthol with wafts of chocolate box, licorice and potpourri. The full-bodied palate is taut and firmly textured with grainy tannins supporting the savory flavor layers, finishing long and minerally. 200 cases are due to be made. (Tasted as a barrel sample.)

Blackcurrants, cassis, mocha, bark, dried earth and walnuts on the nose. Chocolate and coffee too. Full-bodied with firm, broad tannins. Intense yet vibrant and cool with pretty walnuts and dried flowers on the velvety and earthy finish. Charred oak there too. Try in 2024.

Another total winner in this lineup is the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District. Its deep purple color is followed by a classic Spring Mountain bouquet of darker currant and berry fruits intermixed with lots of foresty conifer tree, tobacco, bay leaf, and mountain scrub brush-like nuances. More classic tobacco and espresso notes emerge with time in the glass, and this full-bodied beauty has a wonderfully textured, elegant mouthfeel, a stacked mid-palate, and a great finish. This gorgeous Spring Mountain Cabernet is going to drink well for 20-25 years.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District (made from 100% of this variety), delivers soft-spoken scents of redcurrant jelly, black raspberries and cassis with hints of wild sage, violets and Marmite toast. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm, rugged texture and plenty of freshness to support the muscular black fruit, delivering a long, earthy finish.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District is without question the most elegant, refined wine in the Amici range, that much is evident. Silky, aromatic and gracious, yet with plenty of richness, the Spring Mountain is a wine of pure and total allure. Dark red fruit, mocha and soft floral notes all grace this silky, impeccable Cabernet from Amici.

The 2018 Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon is a remarkable release from Amici Cellars. This immediately impresses with its gorgeous aromatic profile of ripe blackberries, blackcurrants and black cherries, which are accented by spices, herbs, graphite and shades of dark floral nuances all coming together beautifully in the glass. On the palate this is full-bodied, concentrated and well-structured with a wonderful plush, layered texture that makes it extremely appealing. It goes on to display wonderful concentration and depth, with layers of beautifully ripe dark fruits that are laced with violets and crushed gravel characteristics that weave their way through the long, polished finish. The 2018 Spring Mountain is a fantastic wine to approach upon release, but is also worthy of long term cellaring.

Intense blackberry and blueberry aromas with cedar, lavender, hints of sage and currants. Full body and creamy tannins that are chewy, yet very fine-grained. Lovely creaminess to this. 100% cabernet sauvignon. Needs two or three years to soften. Try after 2021.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District comes from the highest site in the appellation and is 100% Cabernet aged 22 months in new French oak. It’s a tight, focused, unquestionably mountain-styled wine (it’s tannic) yet has wonderfully pure, cooler fruit as well as complex notes of sappy green herbs, graphite, licorice, and spice. With medium to full-bodied richness, good concentration, and integrated acidity and tannins, it’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for two decades.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District is soft, supple and racy, with terrific palate presence and character. Red cherry jam, blood orange and rose petal overtones all grace this exquisite, wonderfully nuanced Cabernet from Amici Cellars. This is such an attractive wine.

From the Spring Mountain vineyard, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 22 months in 100% new French Taransaud, Sylvain and Darnajou barrels. Very deep garnet-purple colored, it gives up opulent notes of baked raspberries, plum pudding and blackcurrant pastilles with suggestions of sautéed herbs, chargrill and black olives. Medium to full-bodied, it has a rock-solid frame of firm, chewy tannins and background freshness, finishing a little hard and charry.

This is very deep and dark-fruited with depth and power. So much blackberry, menthol and currant-bush character. Full body. Flavorful finish. Reminds me of great Napa cabs from the 1970s. Try in 2021.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District is without question the most finessed and nuanced wine in the range. Today, it is exquisitely beautiful. Dark, sensual and layered, the Spring Mountain Cabernet also has a level of freshness that keeps the wine vibrant and also distinguishes it from the other Amici Cabernets.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain is a classic Spring Mountain wine that needs 4-5 years of bottle age. Cassis, black raspberry, and blueberry fruit notes all give way to more mountainous herbs, bay leaf, and cedar and lead pencil notions with time in the glass. Full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, and tight, this is a serious wine.

Pure Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District is very deep purple-black in color and gives up notes of red and black currants, crushed blackberries, fresh blueberries and plums with hints of chargrill, asphalt, tobacco and oolong tea. The palate is full-bodied and completely laden with opulent black fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins and finishing with fantastic freshness.

I think the finest release here is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District and it’s up with the crème de la crème in the valley. Loaded with notions of blueberries, dark chocolate, lead pencil, violets and a gravely, earthy minerality, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, thrilling purity of fruit, and building tannin. It’s sensational juice that will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 2+ decades.

Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District is fragrantly perfumed of red roses, violets and dried leaves with a core of cassis, black plums, Ceylon tea and unsmoked cigars. The muscular, medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with tight-knit, youthful black fruit and savory layers, sporting a fine-grained backbone and finishing long and perfumed.

Aromas of raspberries, currants and pine needles. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Chewy yet intense and beautiful. Give it three or four years to soften.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District is the most tannic and reticent of these wines. There is a good bit of intensity and depth, but very little vintage 2015 sexiness, at least today. It will be interesting to see how the 2015 develops over the coming years. Despite its stubbornness, the 2015 appears to offer a good bit of potential.

Aromas of currants, flowers and blackberries. Walnut undertones. Full body and chewy tannins. Love the chocolate and berry aftertaste. Needs time to soften. Better in 2020.

From their source on Spring Mountain they are getting some great Cabernet fruit, as evidenced by the following two vintages. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain has beautiful black raspberry and blueberry fruit, and hints of licorice, tobacco leaf and underbrush. It is ripe, textured, full-bodied, pure and deep. Drink it over the next 12-15 years.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District shows beautiful blueberry and blackberry fruit, good sweet purity, flowers, earth and spice. It’s dense, but retains an overall elegant personality. This wine will hit its prime in another 4-6 years and evolve over 20-25.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District shows beautiful blueberry and blackberry fruit, good sweet purity, flowers, earth and spice. It’s dense, but retains an overall elegant personality. This wine will hit its prime in another 4-6 years and evolve over 20-25.

Leathery, thick and densely concentrated, this wine has a depth of black currant, plum and wild raspberry balanced against a richer component of chocolate and black pepper.

A firm and chewy red with stone, pomace, hazelnut and light plum character. Full-bodied yet agile and fresh. Give it a year or two to soften, but I like the muscular and lightly austere profile.

Sanguine in cranberry and strawberry, this robust wine holds back on the tannin and oak, weaving their stronger tendencies into waves of bittersweet chocolate and black tea. Medium to full-bodied, it’s both classic and flush with ripe California fruit.

This wine offers up copious aromas of black raspberries, blackcurrants and spring flowers along with that fresh mountain vigor that comes from high elevation Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium to full-bodied with impressive purity, well-integrated oak, and a long, textured, elegant finish. it contradicts consumers who say Napa can’t make finesse wines as this is quintessentially elegant. Enjoy it over the next 12-15 years.

Ripe to the point of becoming candied, this is firm, rich and layered, with plum jam, cherry, anise and cedar notes. Fans out on the finish, where the flavors are expansive, deep and persistent. Drink now through 2024.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a more restrained, focused expression of this vineyard yet it still brings beautiful depth and richness, Cassis, graphite, spring flowers, and damp earth all define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, polished, fine-grained tannins, and a great finish. Based on 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc, give bottles 3-5 years and it too will cruise over the following two decades.

Plenty of blackcurrants and black fruit with some fresh bay leaf and mint. Medium- to full-bodied with firm and lightly chewy tannins. Slightly stony undertones, A special To Kalon

The 2021 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has a splash of Cabernet Franc in the blend. Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps with red and black fruit, plus earth, mineral, and savory notes. The full-bodied palate is so concentrated – firm, grainy, muscular, and very savory, with a long finish.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard marries density, drive and focus. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, mint and rose petal all open in the glass. This is a decidedly restrained style for To Kalon, with just as much energy as power, which is rare here. But these are not critiques. Quite to the contrary, the 2021 is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine.

Black fruits, scorched earth, spring flowers, and a terrific sense of minerality all emerge from the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, a full-bodied, concentrated barrel sample that’s going to reward bottle age. While most To Kalon releases are all about fruit and opulence, this has elegance, restraint, and structure.

The 2019 Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts with creme de cassis, boysenberry preserves, mocha, and cardamom scents, plus fertile loam, truffles, stewed tea, and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it is firm and grainy with loads of savory layers and a long finish.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is darker fruited and has lots of classic Cabernet herbal and pyrazine notes in its darker currant and cassis fruit as well as tobacco and lead pencil aromatics. Ripe, full-bodied, and balanced, it’s a mouthful of Cabernet goodness to enjoy over the coming 15-20 years. The blend is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc, aged 22 months in new barrels.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it rolls effortlessly out of the glass with expressive scents of baked black cherries, stewed plums and warm cassis, plus hints of bouquet garni, mocha and black soil. Full-bodied, the generously fruited palate has a solid frame of grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing very long, lively and with tons of savory layers. 150 cases are due to be made. (Tasted as a barrel sample.)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard needs time to fully come together. It possesses superb depth and presence, not to mention tons of site signatures, but the elements are a bid disjointed today. Crème de cassis, lavender, spice and licorice linger.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes bounding out of the glass with baked black plums, blackberry pie and ripe blackcurrants notes plus hints of rose hip tea, cedar, unsmoked cigars and tilled soil. The full-bodied palate is jam-packed with taut, muscular black fruits, featuring a solid frame of grainy tannins and bags of freshness, finishing on a lingering exotic spice note.

This vineyard did exceptionally well in the vintage, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard has more sexiness and opulence than most of the vintage. Revealing a dense purple color as well as a blockbuster-styled bouquet of crème de cassis, blueberries, candied violets, spring flowers, and tobacco, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a round and expansive texture, sweet tannins, and one heck of a great finish. This sexy, opulent, yet also perfectly balanced and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon will drink well for 20-25 years.

The 2018 Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon from Amici Cellars is an excellent showing in this vintage. This slowly begins to unwind and reveal its beautiful aromas of ripe blackberries, cassis and dark cherries, which are woven together with exotic spices, loam, cigar box and hints of dark chocolate that all emerge from the glass. On the palate this offers a wonderful full-bodied texture, with a well-structured frame supported by muscular tannins. It possesses wonderful concentration and depth, along with excellent freshness through the polished finish. This continues to evolve and become more compelling with each second in the glass, and I expect it will evolve incredibly well over the course of the next decade or two.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard opens effortlessly in the glass, showing all the natural breadth that is so typical of this site. Blackberry jam, gravel, spice, new leather, licorice and chocolate are front and center. In 2018, the To Kalon captures a striking mix of finesse, volume and freshness. All the elements fall into place in a seamless, opulent Cabernet that will drink well for two decades, maybe more.

A big and rich To Kalon, yet it is dry and attractively tannic with lots of crushed-berry and terra-cotta character. It’s broad-shouldered and spread across the palate. Give it time. 81% cabernet sauvignon and 19% cabernet franc. Better after 2021.

I also loved the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon, which has a more exotic, in-your-face style as well as more notes of blue fruits, flowery incense, violets, and spice. Full-bodied, balanced, and elegant, it too has a great mid-palate, nicely integrated oak, and some chalky minerality on the finish. Drink bottles any time over the coming 15 years or more.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard, in reality a co-ferment of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, is gorgeous. Inky dark fruit, licorice and lavender are given an extra savory kick by the Franc. Racy and super-exotic, this blend works so well. This is one of the most distinctive wines I have tasted from To Kalon in some time, not to mention a positively stunning 2017. Red fruit flavors and floral notes lead into the textured, inviting finish.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc aged 22 months in 100% new French Taransaud and Sylvain barrels, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon is very deep garnet-purple colored and gives up expressive Black Forest cake, blackberry pie and warm cassis notes with wafts of exotic spices, tree bark, underbrush and charcuterie with a touch of tapenade. Full-bodied, the palate has loads of earthy accents complementing the black fruit core, with a firm grip of chewy tannins, finishing on a mineral note.

Very forward, with warmed fig, steeped blackberry and acai reduction aromas and flavors, supported by singed alder and expresso cream threads on the finish. Drink now through 2025.

This is very tight and powerful with a cylinder of gorgeous fruit with blackberry, blueberry, terracotta, and currants. Full body, firm and silky tannins. Incredible finish. Love the finish. Try in 2022.

A blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc aged 22 months in 100% new French oak, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon is very deep purple-black in color and has a nose of seductive crème de cassis, baked black cherries, dried mulberries and blueberry compote with touches of tapenade, Indian spices, sandalwood and potpourri plus a hint of tea. The palate is full, rich, velvety and spicy with layers of savory and spice flavors, finishing long and complex.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard is an elegant wine from this vineyard, which normally produces powerful, exotic wines. Pure crème de cassis, spring flowers, caramelized cherries, and white flower notes all flow to a full-bodied effort that has silky tannins, a polished texture, no hard edges, and a great finish. It’s another perfectly balanced wine from Tony Biagi that can be drunk any time over the coming 15-20 years.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard is another gorgeous wine in this range. Dark, sensual and inviting, the 2016 will tempt readers with its alluring personality. Crème de cassis, mocha, new leather and chocolate are some of the many notes that are amped up. Plush fruit, silky tannins and expressive aromatics add to the wine’s sheer appeal. This is such a gorgeous wine.

From one of the finest vineyards on the valley floor, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley To Kalon Vineyard is a smoking good wine, and an incredible example of this site and vintage. Black cherries, candied violets, damp earth and hints of incense all flow from this gorgeous, sexy, opulent beauty that has fine tannin, the gorgeous complexity of the vintage, fine tannin and a great, great finish. This blockbuster can be enjoyed anytime over the coming two decades.

Composed of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc, aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon gives a very deep garnet-purple color and wonderfully showy, flamboyant nose of crème de cassis, blackberry tart and black forest cake with underlying suggestions of Indian spices and incense. The densely packed, medium to full-bodied palate fills the mouth with black fruit preserves and exotic spices, supported by firm, grainy tannins and great freshness, finishing long.

This shows the To Kolan character of chili and intense strawberry. Tile, too. Full body, silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Firm and fresh. Drink in 2020.

Tar, leather and coffee flavors ride along a velvety body of integrated and richly woven texture in this beautiful wine, blended to great floral and herbal effect, with 12% Cabernet Franc. Black licorice, black cherry and firm tannins make for a stellar and seamless experience dripping in lasting richness.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon To Kalon Vineyard is an attractive wine, but it is also quite delicate within the context of this famed Oakville site. The wine’s balance and harmony are beyond reproach, but I found myself looking for and wanting more To Kalon character. After all, isn’t that the point of vineyard designate Cabernets?

This is really exotic with dark berries, peaches, star anise and nutmeg. Aromatic. Currants, too. Full body and firm and silky, very fine tannins. This is a very reserved and refined To Kolan. Find it. Drink or hold.