For sheer luxury on a grand scale, Lokoya Estate is the most spectacular new winery experience in Napa Valley today. I recently enjoyed dinner in the impressive tasting salon with the charming proprietress Barbara Banke. Our evening was a celebration of the completion of a monumental upgrade to the original Terra Valentine winery, perched atop Spring Mountain overlooking a picturesque swath of Napa Valley. The kitschy Alpine vibe and rustic wines of Terra Valentine are long gone, replaced by a supremely well-appointed experience featuring the majestic, age-worthy Cabernets of Lokoya.

Established in 1995, Lokoya is a collection of four distinct Cabernet Sauvignons from four of Napa Valley’s most celebrated mountain appellations: Mount Veeder, Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain and Diamond Mountain. These micro-production Cabernets are true thoroughbreds, coveted by avid collectors thanks to their age-ability and lofty ratings by wine critics worldwide. The inaugural vintage of Lokoya was our first sample and the crescendo was the recently released 2013 Lokoya Mt. Veeder bottling, rated “Perfect 100” points by Robert Parker. I savored every sip of the 1995 Lokoya, noting the deceptively ‘young’ tasting fruit and savory notes of balsamic plus olive tapenade reminiscent of a perfectly aged Barolo. This was the third time I had sampled the 2013 Lokoya and each tasting has been a thrill. This distinguished release delivers prodigious dark fruit deftly balanced by profound tannins and a velvety texture to be savored now (after decanting) or anytime for the next two decades.