Aromas of blackcurrants, pine needles, cedar, tree bark and fresh dark mushrooms. Some stone and black fruit, too. A very fine-grained wine, complex and refined with energy and focus. It’s elegant with a lasting finish. Hints of nutmeg and other spices at the end, with a touch of incense and sandalwood. Pure cabernet sauvignon from 45-year-old vines, the oldest hillside block at the property. 9,000 bottles made. Try after 2028.

The single-varietal 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, from a section of the vineyard at 1,200 feet elevation and the oldest vines, is deep garnet-purple in color. It needs plenty of swirling to unlock slowly unfurling scents of blackcurrant jelly, ripe plums, and black cherries followed by hints of tar, licorice, black truffle, and lilacs plus fragrant suggestions of fertile loam and iris bulb. The full-bodied palate is super intense, with beautifully ripe grainy tannins and seamless freshness framing the densely laden black fruits, finishing long and perfumed. A breathtaking expression of the vintage and this beautiful little corner of Napa Valley! 8,000 bottles were made.

The flagship 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is all varietal raised in a mix of new and used barrels. Only the second vintage, it's a clear step up over the 2020 and offers a sensational perfume of sweet loamy earth and chalky minerality intermixed with pure crème de cassis, freshly sharpened cedar pencils, Asian spices, and smoky, scorched earth. Full-bodied and flawlessly balanced, it has incredible intensity and depth, ripe, integrated tannins, remarkable purity, and a lively spine of acidity that keeps it light on its feet and vibrant. It has enough concentration and structure to evolve for 30+ years. Give it a couple of hours in a decanter if you are drinking any time soon.

This Cabernet Sauvignon relies on 45-year-old vines to deliver depth, a long finish and a refined balance of tannins and fresh acidity. A combination of black fruits, deliciously fresh mixed herbs, pleasing earthy accents and a savory character immediately taste of Napa Valley, while the structure and poise are built to age, and feel reminiscent of classic Bordeaux. This is an exciting new project from the producers of Smith Haut-Lafite worth seeking out. Will continue to develop in cellar. — Elaine Chukan Brown

Fragranced and floral on the nose with clear toast, liquorice, cedar and blueberries. Dense yet agile, this has weight and an instant texture in the mouth - like crushed velvet, massy and full but chalky and softly chewy while remaining cool and lifted. I like the clean aspect with a really mineral, graphite aspect to the finish. Feels polished and utterly elegant, still super young, this hasn't given up any tension yet, but it will be sublime in time. Blackcurrants, plums and sweet spices but cool too, nothing overripe or pushed about this. Very good. (Drink between 2027-2040)

(93-96+ points) The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, the estate's top wine, is dark and mysterious to the core. Black cherry, mocha, plum, new leather, incense and dried herbs all build in grand style, supported by beams of tannin that give the wine energy and shape. This is such an impressive showing, especially considering that these barrel samples were not in the best shape when I tasted them. - Antonio Galloni

This is a ripe, polished version, offering a steady beam of cassis and blackberry fruit laced with anise, apple wood and iron notes that stretch out nicely on the finish. The toasty frame is in balance with the fruit, which shows tension and cut through the finish. Best from 2026 through 2040. - JM