This is no wallflower, with a nose redolent of candied lime, honeysuckle, and grilled green pepper. This wine has its sea legs and will make you pucker up with briny oyster and a crisp saline sensation buoyed with lemon and chalk for a bright, juicy delight.
There’s a subtlety that blossoms with no small amount of charm as it rests in the glass. Redolent with acacia, marshmallow creme and a hint of fresh vanilla bean, there is a powerful restraint with flashes of flair that is beguiling.
Tobacco-spiced cedar and teeth-grabbing tannins dry the palate, even with aging for 36 months in 100% new French oak, and with additional bottle aging. Rich notes of smashed plum, beef broth, and black-peppered earth make a statement of elegant power.
A single vineyard, organically farmed Chardonnay, aged 10 months in French oak. Toasty, with a surge of lemon curd, vanilla, and croissant. A dot of white pepper reins in its rich, broad notes as they wash over the palate.
Plunged in apricot and peach nectar, this succulent Sauv Blanc shows itself with body and weight, aged nine months in 35% new French oak. Gardenia and jasmine ring the tropical bell, with a base of vanilla-tangerine cream on the finish.
Bright cherry, with a lick of salinity and cinnamon hots excites the palate. Acidity is brisk and amplifies notes of red pepper, hibiscus, and toasty oak.
Grassy perfume, with lime zest and jasmine tea. On the palate, white flowers soften the intensity of tart grapefruit, while a salty array of Asian pears and honeydew crackle on the finish.
Michael Mondavi’s M Cabernet hits home with soft, plush tannins and a decidedly fruit-forward style that is impressively polished. Suave, velvety textures carry loads of ripe mulberry fruit and sweet Asian spice, building to a crescendo on the lengthy finish with robust tannins. Full-bodied and full-flavored, this is an immediately enjoyable Cabernet best enjoyed now and over the next three to four years.