Wonderful crunchy black and blue fruits with violets, eucalyptus and nutmeg with cocoa powder and subtle pencil shaving notes. Very finely grained juicy tannins with refreshing acidity that cleanses the palate. Full- to medium-bodied yet polished and balanced. Shows beautiful drinkability but it will go much further with age. Try after 2028.

Coming from well-drained, gravelly loam soils just west of the Silverado Trail in Rutherford, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon C.C. Ranch just about jumps out of the glass with ripe red, black, and blue fruits as well as complex notes of sappy green flowers, camphor, iron, and dusty earth. It's a big, mouth-filling, full-bodied effort that has solid tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and outstanding length, and there's clearly a more floral, herbal edge here that gives it a singular character. While it doesn't quite have the elegance in its tannins of some of the other releases, I love its complexity, and it has perfectly ripe fruit and a terrific sense of freshness and vibrancy. It's going to evolve for 15-20 years with ease. It's an impressive wine.

Leads with a core of steeped black currant and warmed fig fruit, backed by loam, licorice root and roasted alder notes. The broad, grippy finish shows a buried cast iron edge as the fruit and loam notes merge steadily, ending with touches of old-school burl and walnut husk. Best from 2025 through 2040. — J.M.