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Reviews

Score: Napa Valley Top Selection | March 14, 2024 | The Wine Merchant/California Collection

Elizabeth Spencer has two distinctive Cabernet Sauvignons in this year's California Collection line-up. The first hails from Napa and is sourced from a variety of sites across the valley, with the blend aged in 20% new French oak. It "surprised" the judges "with a delightful freshness". One added: "This is a good-looking bottle; it has layers of complexity and a fantastic finish. I can't help but think it needs some time in the cellar to really come alive."

Score: 90 | October 24, 2023 | The Wine Independent

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.

Score: 90 | October 24, 2023 | The Wine Independent

The 2019 Chateau Buena Vista Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, with 10% Merlot, 2.5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 0.5% Malbec in the blend, is medium to deep garnet-purple in color. It leaps with notes of warm cassis, baked plums, and boysenberries with hints of menthol, cedar chest, and dried bay leaves. The medium to full-bodied palate has a soft texture and just enough freshness supporting the generous black fruit layers, finishing with an herbal lift.

Score: 96 | October 24, 2023 | The Wine Independent

The 2019 Chateau Buena Vista Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, with 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot in the blend, is deep purple-black in color. It needs a little swirling to coax out notes of warm cassis, black cherry compote, and fresh juicy blackberries, followed by hints of charcoal, crushed rocks, and sassafras plus a waft of cracked black pepper. The medium to full-bodied palate is jam packed with bright, black fruit layers, supported by fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing with epic length.

Score: 94 | October 24, 2023 | The Wine Independent

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Chateau Buena Vista Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain District is a little closed to start, unfurling to reveal notes of baked blackberries, blackcurrant jelly, and baker's chocolate with hints of star anise, crushed rocks, and tapenade. The full-bodied palate has a firm, finely grained texture and plenty of freshness to support the taut, muscular black fruits, finishing long and minerally. Nice!

Score: 92 | October 24, 2023 | The Wine Independent

Deep garnet-purple in color, the single-varietal 2019 Chateau Buena Vista Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford features sweet notes of chocolate box, vanilla pod, and licorice pie over a core of blackcurrant cordial, menthol, and plum preserves. Medium to full-bodied, soft, and juicy in the mouth, it has plenty of ripe black berry and spicy layers, finishing long and minty.

Score: 90 | October 24, 2023 | The Wine Independent

The 2019 Chateau Buena Vista Cabernet Franc, with 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, is medium garnet-purple in color. It offers up notes of kirsch, fresh blackberries, and black cherries with hints of dried Provence herbs and pencil shavings. The full-bodied palate delivers a good intensity of red berry and earthy layers with a chewy texture and peppery finish.

Score: Silver | October 15, 2023 | Sonoma County Harvest Fair
Score: 90 | July 5, 2023 | Wine & Spirits

Black and ripe, this wine’s candied-cherry flavors have a Port-like sweetness, while there’s enough acidity to keep it juicy. “Bottom notes give it depth and resonance,” said James Conley of Keen’s Steakhouse, while others pointed to the walnut scents of oak, and highlights of thyme and rosemary.

Score: SILVER | April 25, 2023 | Winemaker Challenge