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This offers nicely balanced red fruit with minimal oak, solid acidity and decent tannic structure. Not an easy thing to find in a Merlot, and a Merlot at this price. Black cherry, black berry, huckleberry, red currant, light cedar and vanilla notes dominate and this is a very comprehensive wine. Mainly Merlot, there are small percentages of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah and Malbec. It was aged for 14 months in French oak, only 40% of which was new, hence the light wood touch. What this ultimately offers is a robust Merlot that is well worth the price.

Any vineyard facing San Pablo Bay, like Toro Hills, is buffeted by wind and fog coming off the water. Typically fruit grown here is more fully developed. This Toro Hills Pinot has that depth of flavor, less bright strawberry notes and more raspberry, huckleberry, blueberry and blackberry with soft black cherry, spring wildflowers, and a slight earthiness. The acidity is spot on allowing for expressiveness with food while the mild barrel aging (10 months in barrel with just 30% new French oak) allows for a balanced approach and fruit over wood. ORIGIN: Sonoma County. ALCOHOL: 14.9%

Christopher Tynan's wines do not get enough attention.  The Syrahs are great but this is stunning.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose has cassis, blueberries, camphor, baking spices, fresh tobacco and chocolate.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great energy and balance.  This is still very young but starting to open up.  On the palate, cassis, pencil lead, and chocolate with some underlying char.  Long finish.  This needs another five to ten years to get closer to peak and then should be great for another twenty to thirty after that.  Great on its own, this needs bi

The home winery for Thomas Rivers Brown, one of Napa's premier winemakers.  This is a new (albeit classic) vineyard for TRB.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is great.  Complex and clean with cassis, blueberries, pencil lead, sandalwood and menthol.  Full bodied.  The palate is also complex if tight.  Cassis and blueberries with some spice and slight char.  Long finish.  This is obviously young but already drinking great.  Still, another decade in a good cellar will take this to the 100 level.  Great on its own, it will need big food now to match the firm tanni

Interesting bottle with what looks like a pewter disk for a label.  Made by Phillipe Melka.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, tobacco, clay and spice.  Firm tannins.  Great balance.  On the palate this is complex but still very young.  Cassis, black cherries, spice and slight cedar.  Long finish.  This needs another five to ten years in a good cellar.  It should age for fifteen to twenty after that.  Great on its own, it will need big, fatty meats in its youth.  Plenty of upside potential to improve.  

Wow.  Talk about a Bordeaux styled wine made in Napa, this is it.  Just a beauty.  87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 1% Petite Verdot.  Ruby/purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is gorgeous, if young.  Cassis, black cherries, blueberries, smoke, tobacco, earthiness, cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great energy.  On the palate, this is complex and tightly layered.  Cassis and black cherries with earthiness and smoke.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is not a huge fruit bomb at all.  Not yet at peak but well on its way.  This has another twenty to thirty

This wine is proof that Paso Robles can make world class Cabernets (in addition to Rhone Varietals).  The Daou brothers second vintage of this wine is very young but easily could be a 100 pointer with some bottle age and development.  As it, it is outstanding right now.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, chocolate, graphite, cigar tobacco, and cedar.  Great texture.  Firm tannins.  Concentrated.  Nice balance.  On the palate, concentrated cassis with graphite, and chocolate and slight tobacco.  It unwinds in the glass.  Long finish.  If drinking

Basic Bottling.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, leather, slight cedar.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Very concentrated.  On the palate, this is just hitting maturity.  Cassis with some leather notes.  Good energy and balance.  Nice finish.  A classic Napa Cab.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  A nice match with grilled meats or just on its own.  

This is 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.  One of the truly great Merlots out there.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, baking spice, chocolate, and smoke.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is flat out delicious.  Cherries, chocolate, slight cassis and spice.  Deep and complex.  Long finish.  This is drinking great now but should have another fifteen to twenty years.  Great on its own, this will work well with Ham or Chicken.  

Detert makes some of the best Cabernet Franc in California.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, cassis, fresh tobacco, spice and slight mocha note.  Full bodied.  Wonderful lush texture.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is young with firm tannins.  Loads of black cherry fruit (although certainly not a fruit bomb), along with some cassis and some underlying char.  Long finish.  Delicious.  It really unwinds over a few hours.  Drink over the next fifteen to twenty years.  Great on its own, this will work well earthy dishes s