Reviews:

97pts Wine Enthusiast

"This red is earthy in tones of barnyard, sage and crushed rock, with underlying plush fruit. With 15% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc included, it boasts rich red fruit that broadens and lengthens the midpalate. It shows an enduring succulence on the balanced finish."

95pts Decanter

"Very savoury and spice-laden on the nose, showing aromas of cigar box, chicory, sandalwood and redcurrants. The palate is beautifully multidimensional: deep but bright, weighty and forward but with great length and integration. A definitive showing of Calistoga, built for at least two decades in the cellar but will also reward those who want to check in at an earlier stage. Brought up in 66% new French oak."

95pts James Suckling

"Pretty aromas of currants, walnuts and fresh tobacco follow through to a full-bodied palate with dusty, chewy tannins and lots of berry, coffee and lightly toasted-oak undertones in the aftertaste. Needs some time to resolve the tannins. Very drinkable now, but better after 2025."

94pts Wine Spectator

"A flash of menthol leads off, followed quickly by intense cassis, blackberry preserves and plum reduction flavors. Notes of singed alder and cedar score the finish, with the menthol hint peeking back in for an encore. Distinctive. Best from 2022 through 2036."

93pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, aged in French oak (66% new), the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (White Label) has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and skips out of the glass with bright, cheery scents of kirsch, black raspberries and cassis plus nuances of red roses, pencil shavings, cinnamon stick and wild sage plus a touch of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers a gorgeous, plush texture and just enough freshness to lift the generous black and red berry layers to a long, fragrant finish."

93pts Jeb Dunnuck

"Based on 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc, the base 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is a beauty, offering classic currant and mulled cherry fruits as well as plenty of cedarwood, tobacco, and spice aromas and flavors. It's rich and medium to full-bodied, with some grippy tannins and a classy finish. It's going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15-20"

TASTING NOTES

The aromas, flavors and textures cast a wide reach on the nose and palate. From lavender and violets to Fuji apples and the bramble of a raspberry bush, the aromas are masterfully sewn together. As you linger with the wine in the glass and expose it to air, the wine leans deeper into the darker aromas of kirsch and graphite.

In the mouth, the flavors flow from the candied sweetness of chocolate covered cherries and red licorice on the front of the palate to macerated blueberries and blackberries on the middle of your tongue. It finishes with spicy, dried herbs and savory roasted meats on the back of the palate. As the overall juiciness of the wine dissipates in your mouth, it leaves a gentle dusting of cherry-flavored tannins that coat the palate and prepare you for a second sip.