Beckstoffer To Kalon is as good as we’ve made from this iconic vineyard. Period. Potential 100 points.
Black Magic – the third year of this best of the best barrels cuvée. 100% Cabernet this year. Another potential 100 points. Rare, mailing list only wine.
Melanson – simply the richest, baddest Pritchard Hill wine we have made from this vineyard. That normally would not make it the candidate for the best Melanson, but in 2015, it is the best to date.
The Oakville Proprietary Red reminds us of a young La Mission Haut Brion from a vintage of the century. In Bordeaux they have a few of these each century – I know this defies logic – but so does this wine. Crazy good Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon. Potential 100.
Tierra Roja is creamy, rich with black and red fruits. Reminds us of its neighbor, Screaming Eagle.
The Oakville Hillside is from the upper terraces of Tierra Roja. The wine begged us to bottle this gem separately in 2015, first time. Much more like its neighbor a few yards above these terraces, Dalla Valle.
Herb Lamb Vineyard – a legendary property planted by Herb and Jennifer Lamb that is part of Napa’s first wave of brat pack cult wines. Jeff and I feel this is as good as we’ve had from a great piece of land.
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – mostly Cimarossa in 2015 – a big boy for this bottling. We have made it in only seven out of our fifteen years. Only when it can stand shoulder to shoulder with the single vineyard wines do we bottle a “Napa Valley.”
The 2015’s are pretty amazing. If you could buy only one vintage we’ve made I’d pull the trigger on these guys. the Herb Lamb and Tierra Roja are my personal fav.