Wines

96 Points! A complex nose of smoke, grilled meats, dark fruits, asphalt, and lead pencil. Full bodied, with super fine tannins, fresh acidity and a long complex and fruity finish. This is all about complexity and finesse. - JamesSuckling.com

95+ Points! Good full ruby-red. Vibrant aromas of deep black raspberry, licorice and violet; quite expressive considering it was bottled about a month prior to my visit. Then dense, deep and very primary, with powerful yet suave flavors of blackberry, smoke, licorice, minerals, chocolate and earth spreading out to saturate the palate. An infant today but the wine's superb persistence and finishing perfume suggest it will rank among the best vintages of this bottling. If there is ever a classification of Napa Valley cabernet vineyards, the Eisele Vineyard would clearly be a grand cru. - Stephen Tanzer, Vinous Media

98 Points! Coming from the warmest terroir on Hermitage Hill, the 2006 Ermitage le Meal is a killer wine that oozes Hermitage notes of black raspberries, saddle leather and bloody meat. Complex, full-bodied, and textured, yet with surprising elegance, it’s an awesome wine to drink anytime over the coming two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck, robertparker.com

96 Points! Superdense but really fresh, with a wild array of zesty blackberry, loganberry, linzer torte and briar notes laid over perfectly embedded tannins. Long and pure through the finish, with lots of minerality waiting in reserve. Great length. - Wine Spectator

96+ Points! No wimpy wine, the 2006 Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard (76% Syrah, 18% Mourvedre, and 6% Grenache) has over 16% alcohol. It possesses phenomenal texture, stunning purity, and remarkable freshness, which, again, is attributable to the limestone soils as well as the proprietor’s brilliant hands-off winemaking philosophy. A complex perfume of roasted meats, black fruits, spring flowers, charcoal, and spice is followed by a wine of enormous richness (yet it is neither overweight nor heavy). Beautiful freshness permeates the wine’s black fruit flavors and full-bodied power and length. The finish lasts for nearly a minute. This 2006 should evolve for 12-15+ years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com