Buena Vista Winery Reviews

Aromas of ripe dark berries, grilled thyme, cured meat and dark spiced with some hints of cedar and moist earth. Full-bodied, deep and layered with firm, lightly chewy tannins. Powerful and persistent with a long finish. Better after 2025.

Notes of red and dark berries, sweet spices, cocoa and wet earth. Firm and structured with medium to full body and velvety texture. Lingering, dark-fruited finish. Better after 2025.

Blackcurrants, blackberries, walnuts and ground spices on the nose. A little earthy, too. Sleek and refined with medium to full body. Tannins are fine-grained and melted into the wine. Smooth and even with a lingering finish. Better from 2026.

A solid red with cherries, violets and earth on the nose and palate. Medium body with chewy tannins. Herbs and wild berries on the palate and a savory finish. Try after two to three years to soften the tannins.

The 2021 Private Reserve Chardonnay gives up decadent scents of allspice, pineapple upside-down cake, and ripe apricots plus hints of marzipan and honeysuckle. The full-bodied palate delivers a creamy texture and mouth-coating tropical and stone fruit flavors, finishing long and spicy.

Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2021 Private Reserve Pinot Noir charges out of the glass with rambunctious notes of Morello cherries, black raspberries, and mulberries leading to touches of rhubarb crumble, wild strawberries, and underbrush plus a hint of violets. The medium to full-bodied palate is bursting with electric red and black berry flavors, supported by fine-grained tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing long and minerally.

The 2021 The Founder Cabernet Sauvignon, with 1% Petit Verdot in the blend, is deep garnet-purple in color. It comes barreling out with bold notions of blackcurrant cordial, stewed plums, and blackberry pie giving way to nuances of graphite, crushed rocks, and camphor with a touch of lavender. The full-bodied palate is rich and dense yet beautifully juxtaposed by amazing tension and grainy tannins, finishing long and lively.

The 2021 Chateau Buena Vista Chardonnay springs from the glass with fantastically spicy scents of nutmeg and candied ginger, giving way to a core of peach preserves, apple butter, and warm pineapple plus a waft of butterscotch. The medium to full-bodied palate has a decadent oiliness to the texture, with a lively line giving energy to the long, spicy finish.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon needs a little shaking and swirling to unlock notes of creme de cassis, blueberry compote, and juicy blackberries opening out to fragrant notes of candied violets, chocolate box, and menthol. The full-bodied palate has a fantastic backbone of freshness and firm, ripe, grainy tannins to support the muscular fruit, finishing long and energetic.

The 2021 Chateau Buena Vista Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena, with some Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot in the blend, is deep garnet-purple in color. It delivers evocative notes of blackcurrant jelly, kirsch, and mulberries followed by nuances of fallen leaves, cast-iron pan, cardamom, and pencil lead. The full-bodied palate is electric with crunchy black and red fruits, supported by a lively line and firm, grainy tannins, finishing with great length and a real skip in its step.