California Wine Advisors

A massive and profoundly complex wine, the Viña Cobos Volturno Cabernet 2021 exudes impressive depth and superb structure. The nose is dark and alluring, with peppery, earthy aromas interwoven with spicy blackberry, herbs, and a hint of apple skin. On the palate, it is rich, silky, and polished, delivering concentrated flavors of blackberry, plum, iron,...

A Zinfandel with dimension and personality to spare, the new Papera Ranch might be the best vintage of this bottling we’ve ever tasted. Absolutely thrilling and packed with bright ripe fruit and berry flavors but also boasting complex notes of exotic tea, pepper and baking spices. A triumph that is showing beautifully right now and...

Simply superb! 100% Velvetty cashmere like texture. Valhrona milk cocoa from oak. Supremely well-balanced dark cherry, cranberry, and exotic baking spices lead to a delightful finish featuring hints of creamy oak. complex. The bold fruit is pure Russian River charm while the ethereal finish reminds me of hints of Valrhona chocolate. This guaranteed thriller may...

We were simply enchanted with the quality of the Val de Sugo Brunello Vigna Spuntali 2016, another testament to the unanimous acclaim for this vintage. The velvety texture introduced intensely delicious, dark fruit flavors, hints of tapenade and balsamic. Savory notes of baking spices, bay leaves and tarragon are enveloped by bold tannins. Gosh we...

The dazzling new 2019 Toymaker Diamond Mountain Cabernet is a show-stopper (literally) as our entire tasting panel fell silent upon first sip! The cashmere-like texture is guaranteed to delight fans of Napa’s most intense, Cult-style reds such as Checkerboard (same vineyard source) or even Harlan (original winemaker). The intensely pleasurable, dark fruit favors entice with...

This brand new release of Toymaker Cabernet is a deep, dark and dazzling winner from Napa’s unanimously acclaimed 2016 vintage. The texture reminds us of luxuriously smooth cashmere in a glass and is guaranteed to delight fans of Napa’s most intensely rich Cult-style reds. The full-throttle fruit favors display notes fresh figs, blackberry compote, and...

The 2022 Tench Estate Cabernet doesn’t hold back. It’s rich and racy with dark fruit laced with exotic spice. There’s a sleek tension between ripeness and lift, making each sip both plush and precise. Silky, serious, and just a little wild, this is Tench showing off. Oakville pedigree with a wink and a swagger, finishing...

Once again, this revered Estate asserts itself as a clear leader among Napa Valley’s elite in the exceptional 2022 vintage. From the first glance, the wine captivates with its deep purple hue, foreshadowing the complexity to come. On the nose, high-toned aromatics lift from the glass; pure crème de cassis and blackberry interwoven with seductive...

A true BLOCKBUSTER from a world-famous vineyard tucked in between Ovid and Colgin on Napa’s Pritchard Hill. Definitely not for the faint of heart, the 2018 Sire Cabernet offers an alluring bouquet that charms with blueberry liqueur, espresso, pipe tobacco, and toasted oak. This regal wine already delivers the magical combination of full-throttle fruit +...

A gorgeous WOW wine from start to finish, this is an intensely satisfying Cabernet that reminds us of many Napa ‘Cult’ favorites. Rewa 2016 already shows impeccable integration of TOP CLASS new oak and a rich core of dark fruits along with a kirsch dimension of red berry sweetness underneath… a plethora of cassis, blackberry,...