The 2016 Proprietary Red Paradise Hills Vineyard is magnificent. Deep and expressive on the palate, the 2016 possesses tremendous intensity but delivered in an understated voice. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, new leather and spice develop with time, but it is the wine's total sense of poise that once again is truly impressive. All the elements are simply in the right place. The 2016 is a total stunner, but the best is yet to come. -- Antonio Galloni

All these 2016s from winemaker Graeme MacDonald are straight-up brilliant wines. Starting with the 2016 Proprietary Red, which is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it offers a concentration, layered, and full-bodied profile to go with complex blue fruits (cassis and blueberries), tobacco leaf, violets, and spring flower-like aromas and flavors. It’s incredibly pure and elegant, has ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish, all suggesting a solid two decades of longevity.

(97+ points) The 2016 Proprietary Red Paradise Hills Vineyard is composed of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1.5% Petit Verdot aged 19 months in French oak. Deep garnet-purple colored, it gives up expressive notes of crushed black cherries, cassis and blackberry pie with hints of cigar boxes, menthol, cardamom and dark chocolate with a waft of lilacs. The palate is full-bodied, very firm and lively with a great core of tightly wound, muscular fruit and loads of mineral accents, finishing very long and perfumed. 605 cases produced.- LPB