Reviews

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain District is a powerful, distinctive wine. Deeply aromatic and savory, the Diamond Mountain Cabernet has a ton of character. Dried herbs, iron, game, scorched earth and tobacco are some of the many aromas and flavors that emerge from this potent yet nuanced Cabernet.

-- Antonio Galloni

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga is another terrific wine in this range. Bold and ample, the Calistoga Cabernet offers tons of volume and real sense of textural breadth. Inky dark fruit, chocolate, grilled herbs, leather and scorched earth abound in this flavorful, alluring Cabernet. The 2018 is beautifully done.

-- Antonio Galloni

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena is one of the most complete wines in this range. Bold and exuberant, the St. Helena Cabernet is impeccable. Bright floral notes and sweet red berry fruit give this juicy, mid-weight Cabernet tons of appeal. This silky, racy Cabernet has so much going on. It's also a terrific example of the appellation.

-- Antonio Galloni

The 2018 Generations captures the Raymond style at its best. Heady and flamboyant to the core, the 2018 boasts striking richness in its inky dark fruit, chocolate, licorice, spice, leather and menthol flavors. The 2018 is an unapologetically rich, full-throttle Cabernet, with all the elements impeccably balanced. Readers who enjoy opulent Napa Valley Cabernets will love it.

-- Antonio Galloni

The 2018 Surrealist is a wild, over the top wine, but in all the right ways, if that makes sense. Super-ripe red berry, kirsch, rose petal and sweet spice all race out of the glass. Heady and flamboyant to the core, the 2018 is immensely enjoyable, but readers have to appreciate this style. There is not much subtlety, not much left to the imagination. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot work so well here. -- Antonio Galloni

The 2018 No. 10 offers up an attractive melange of sweet floral and spice notes to play off a core of ripe red berry fruit. This mid-weight wine is a bit tight today, but like all of the 2018s it is done in a heady, flamboyant style. -- Antonio Galloni

The 2018 No. 1 is laced with the essence of raspberry jam, mocha, cedar, rose petal and cinnamon. Rich, silky and opulent, the 2018 offers plenty of immediacy to match its flamboyant style. Drink it over the next decade. -- Antonio Galloni

The 2018 Knockout (Cabernet Sauvignon/Petite Sirah) certainly delivers on its name. Rich, deep and explosive, with tons of supporting energy, the 2018 is a big wine. I would give the formidable Petite tannins a few years to settle down. Inky red/purplish fruit, spice, cedar, new leather and sweet pipe tobacco are all layered into the huge finish. -- Antonio Galloni

The No. 17 (Cabernet Franc) is bursting at the seams with blackberry jam, espresso, chocolate, spice, new leather and menthol. Potent and yet well-balanced for such a big wine, the 2018 has much to recommend it. This ample, full-throttle wine will drink beautifully for another decade or so. -- Antonio Galloni

The 2018 The Leopard is, surprisingly, not one of the more extroverted wines in the lineup. A rush of ripe red berry fruit, spice, licorice, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco give the 2018 striking aromatic lift to play off the intense, jammy red fruit. Ripe and yet medium in body, the 2018 has a lot to offer. Syrah, Petit Verdot and Malbec complement a core of Cabernet Sauvignon so well here. -- Antonio Galloni