Reviews

Ripe red and black fruits, peppery herbs, and floral/violet notes all shine in the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape, which is an incredibly consistent cuvée that always has a classic, balanced, satisfying style. The 2022 is no different.

Rockingly pure black cherries, black raspberries, ground pepper, and floral notes all emerge from the 2022 Gigondas, another 2022 that will be a great value from this label. It's balanced, has terrific purity, ripe tannins, and outstanding length.

The single-varietal 2020 Chardonnay is made entirely from Carneros Sonoma fruit. Baked apples, spicy pears, and honeydew melon jump from the glass with wafts of honeycomb and allspice. The medium to full-bodied palate has a creamy texture and is chock full of baked apples and pears layers, finishing with a lively lift.

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.

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Chateau Buena Vista Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley gives up notes of stewed black plums, boysenberry preserves, and warm cassis plus hints of dusty soil, potpourri, and spice box. The full-bodied palate delivers plump, juicy black fruits with spicy accents and a plush texture, finishing with a minty lift.

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.

Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2020 Chateau Buena Vista Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley gives up notes of stewed black plums, boysenberry preserves, and warm cassis plus hints of dusty soil, potpourri, and spice box. The full-bodied palate delivers plump, juicy black fruits with spicy accents and a plush texture, finishing with a minty lift.

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.

The 2019 The Sheriff of Buena Vista is composed of 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Petite Sirah, 22% Syrah, 9% Petit Verdot, 5% Grenache, 3% Mourvedre, and 2% Mission. Medium garnet-purple in color, it swaggers out of the glass with confident blueberry pie, warm cassis, and blackberry preserves scents, plus suggestions of Indian spices and tree bark with a touch of Sichuan pepper. Full-bodied, rich, spicy, and plush, the palate offers soft acidity and an earthy finish.