Wines

91 Points! The smart buy in the Ackerman lineup is the suave, polished 2018 Memoir Red Wine. A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% each Cabernet Franc and Merlot, and 6% each Malbec and Petit Verdot, it seamlessly marries cedary oak notes with cassis and dark chocolate flavors. Medium to full-bodied and less opulent and weighty than many of its Napa counterparts, it's still velvety-plush but also marked by ample freshness and length. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

91 Points! Consumers take note: Barnett's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District is more complex and structured than the MMV bottling yet also less expensive. Sage and bay leaf join black cherries and a hint of vanilla on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is soft and easy drinking but with decent backbone and length and plentiful soft, dusty tannins on the finish. The blend includes 12% Petite Verdot. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

91 Points! A good value from the team of Far Niente, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley checks in as 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and the rest Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc, all of which was raised in 50% new oak. This deep purple-hued, medium to full-bodied effort has pretty cassis and violet aromatics, a round, supple mouthfeel, some building tannins, and outstanding length. It's impeccably made and undeniably delicious. Drink bottles over the coming 7-8 years or so. - Jeb Dunnuck

The finest Bella Union yet! The 2021 vintage was VERY kind to the team at Far Niente..."Bella Union was founded by the partners of Far Niente to specialize in the art of blending Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The cornerstone of the blend is our 25-acre vineyard in Rutherford, along Bella Oaks Lane, a country road that was historically called Bella Union. The vineyard is planted primarily to Cabernet Sauvignon in well-drained loam, and the vines range from 20 – 30 years of age. Classic varietals of Malbec, Cabernet Franc
and Petite Verdot sourced from select Napa Valley vineyards complete the blend."

91 Points! Farella's unoaked 2023 Sauvignon Blanc stands out for its assertive boxwood, lime and grapefruit aromas. It's medium-bodied and somewhat plump and rounded but also shot through with a bright beam of citrusy acids, vibrant and refreshing. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

91 Points! A generous, creamy and dense red blend with notes of dark berries, dark plums, chocolate and grilled herbs. Full-bodied with creamy tannins and texture. Plain with a well-rounded character. Juicy with berries and a chocolatey finish. Drink now. - JamesSuckling.com

90 Points! The 2021 Barrel Blend is composed of 34% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Zinfandel, 13% Malbec, 10% Petit Sirah, 9% Syrah, and 4% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts with ready to go notes of juicy plums and cassis, giving way to nuances of dried mint, spice cake, and licorice. Full-bodied, the palate is chock fruit of blackberry and plum preserves flavors with a soft texture and bags of freshness, finishing on a peppery note. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, MW

93 Points! A succulent, juicy young red with plum, dark berry and some tile and bark undertones. It’s full-bodied with layers of pure fruit and fine tannins. Lightly chewy at the end of the palate with a savory and fruity finish. Better after 2024.  - JamesSuckling.com

91 Points! Alluring, with melted red licorice draped over a core of lush cassis and plum compote notes. An apple wood edge is nicely inlaid on the finish. Drink now through 2028. - Wine Spectator

93 Points! Deeply brooding aromas of blackberries, cassis, plums, cedar and tobacco. The palate is full-bodied with firm tannins and balanced acidity, showing dark cherries, blackcurrants and spices. Concentrated, savory and fresh. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

91 Points! The 2022 Papillon Red Wine is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% each Malbec and Syrah, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 4% Merlot. It also includes a bit more than 5% of 2021 vintage wine, so it is labeled as Napa County, rather than Napa Valley. All the bookkeeping aside, it offers plenty of ripe cherries and a faint herbal streak on the nose, a full-bodied, silky-textured palate and a welcome bit of cedar (it spent 13 months in 40% new oak) on the charming, supple finish. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

91 Points! Ripe and fruity red with blackberries, mulberries, blue flowers and sweet spice aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, mellow and succulent with supple tannins and a bright, fruity finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

90 Points! Meaning 'Friends and Family,' the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Kith & Kin is deep purple-hued with an upfront, delicious, plump style in its assorted darker fruits, spice, tobacco, and chocolaty aromas and flavors. It's soft, medium to full-bodied, ready to go, and undeniably delicious. - Jeb Dunnuck

91 Points! Another terrific wine from this estate that represents a smoking value, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Terra 9 has ripe black fruits, smoked tobacco, chocolate, and iron-like nuances to go with a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, beautifully balanced style. It's going to drink well for 10-12 years with no issues. - Jeb Dunnuck

91 Points! From a single vineyard on Howell Mountain, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Coyote Loser shows some of that appellation's characteristic pine and blueberry nuances. It's medium to full-bodied, with ample concentration and ripe tannins, followed by a lingering, silky finish. It's a solid effort from an AVA where bargains—meaning anything worth drinking for less than $100 per bottle—are few and far between. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com

91 Points! Crushed blackcurrants and blackberries with notes of sweet spices and wet stones. Full and creamy with fine tannins and a deep core of fruit. Velvety and succulent. Try from 2026. - JamesSuckling.com

91+ Points! More of a long distance runner is the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Leonardini Vineyard. This wine still shows plenty of oak and notes of new saddle leather intermixed with graphite and black currants in a structured, full-bodied, youthful, almost infantile stage of development. I can’t imagine this wine has moved much from its post-bottling days. It still needs another 5-6 years of cellaring, and should keep for at least 20+ years. - Robert Parker, robertparker.com 2011

91 Points! Open-knit, with a juicy ball of boysenberry and blackberry notes backed by bramble and licorice root hints. Reveals toasty vanilla streaks on the finish. Drink now through 2033. - Wine Spectator

91 Points! The 2022 Sauvignon Blanc—it includes 20% Sémillon—was mostly fermented and aged in stainless steel, with 25% going into oak. The result is a gently grassy-herbal wine loaded with grapefruit and nectarine-tinged fruit, plus hints of fig and melon. It's medium-bodied, plump and creamy on the mid-palate, then long and silky on the finish. It's nicely complex and composed. - Joe Czerwinski, robertparker.com