How is this?
Only for vintages since I have been in Napa and making wine. Remember, this is only my views on the overall vintages. We have reached a point in viticulture and winemaking that some good wines are made in every vintage now. As you will see, I am a hard grader. āAverageā means average for Napa, which given our usual warmth and sun, is pretty good.
2005: AVERAGE. Lacking a little in concentration and ripeness but elegant. Drink now.
2006: GOOD. Has gained enormously since the vintage, when we originally thought it was āokay.ā Drink now.
2007: GOOD. Originally thought of as āclassic,ā this one has not lived up to the hype. Tannins outlived the fruit in many cases. Drink now and in the next few years.
2008: AVERAGE. Run of the mill. The best year ever for Howell Mtn. Drink now and in the next 2-4 years.
2009: AVERAGE-MINUS. Ultra ripe. In fact, this vintage marks the last year where people thought 30-brix was a good idea. I would not hold these any longer. Super fruit on release but fading. Drink up.
2010: VERY GOOD. Some great wines from the vintage but early heat wave and cool finish made it hit or miss for some others. Very good structure and balance. Drink now or over the next 5 years.
2011: AVERAGE. Originally considered a poor vintage, this one has really come on strong. Wines are in the zone now but do not have the stuffing to go much longer, imho.
2012: AVERAGE. Originally āgoodā but I feel we over-cropped this one and although there are some real winners, I donāt know many excited about 12 any more. Drink over the next 5 years.
2013: LEGEND. Has everything. Power, fruit, tannin. And they are ageing very well. The best vintage since 2002. Drink with a 2-4 hour decant or hold as long as you want.
2014: GOOD. Something had to follow 2013 but this holds up well. More linear and taut. Ageing very well. Hold for 2-5 more years or drink with 2 hour decant.
2015: GOOD. Small crop, drought year, high ripeness but not like 2009. Very fruitful. I like this vintage. Best wines come from the cooler south of the valley this time, imho. Drink with 2-3 hour decant or hold another 5 years.
2016: GOOD. A bit less ripe. Cool and rainy at the end. Very nice textures and complexity but a bit less concentration than usual. St Helena/Calistoga did amazing. Drink with 1-2 hour decant or wait 3-4 years.
2017: VARIABLE. To me it depends if post-fire wine was declassified. The heat wave on Labor Day sent some wines to high ripeness. A winemakerās vintage with a few stellar wines here and there. Drink with 6 hour decant or wait 5-7 years.
2018: EXCELLENT. Stellar fruit, supple wines. Awesomely fun with 4-8 hours decanted. But can hold for another 7-10 years if you want. Hard to keep my hands off.
2019: EXCELLENT. More tannin and less fruitfulness than 2018, but awesome in body and length. I prefer 18 slightly but many think this one trumps it in another decade. Hold.
2020: UNKNOWN. Verdict not fully in but I declassified everything. Iāve had a few good ones but no great ones. A lot will depend on what reveals itself once the oak goes away.
2021: GOOD. Like a poor manās 2019. No flaws and a bit of everything. Might even get better with age. Could be this decadeās 2006. Hold.
2022: VARIABLE. Iāve not really had much of this vintage so far and therefore its very hard (and too early) to tell. I am declassifying 50% of my wine but the half that I am bottling might be as good as my 18/19s. Know your winemaker!
2023: LEGEND. Up there with 2013, 2002, 1994. Wines are not dry yet but there is just no way this wonāt be incredible. I wonder if this is how Bordeaux felt when their 1945s were fermenting?
