Coming from the Sonoma Coast, the 2022 Chardonnay UV Vineyard reveals a pure, elegant bouquet of stone fruits, orange blossoms, spice, and floral nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has integrated acidity and a balanced, elegant texture. This 100% Chardonnay spent time in 50% new French oak and will drink nicely over the next 4-6 years.

Redcurrants, leafy herbs, stems, and conifer notes define the 2022 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard, a 100% Pinot Noir from the Sun Chase Vineyard. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a pure, layered mouthfeel, fine tannins, and impressive length. Give bottles 1-2 years and enjoy over the following 5-7 years.

Based on 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Cabernet Franc raised in 66% new French oak, the 2022 The Mark boasts brilliant aromas of red and black currants, gunflint, chocolate, and spicy, savory herbs. Full-bodied and pure on the palate, it shows the ripe, fruit-forward style of the vintage while delivering brilliant depth and richness, with ripe, integrated tannins. Best after 2-3 years of bottle age, drink over the following 12-15 years.

Brilliant aromas of red and black fruits, smoked tobacco, wood smoke, and crushed stone emerge from the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard. Full-bodied and rich on the palate, it offers a lush, forward, opulent mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a lengthy finish. While not massively concentrated, the balance is spot on, showing terrific purity and no hard edges. This 100% Cabernet aged in 75% new French oak will drink beautifully over the coming 15+ years.

Dense and layered, offering beautiful dark-fruit and walnut character with some black olives and dried strawberries. Full-bodied, tight and focused. Excellent energy and tightness. Drink in 2020.

A rich pinot noir with dried strawberry, berry, stem and walnut notes. It’s full and layered with lots of character and an intense and powerful finish. Flamboyant and structured. Needs three or four years to come together. Try after 2026.

This is a very plush and complex wine with blackberry, tobacco and pistachio nut character. The cut-velvet texture is really something and gives a tension and framing to the wine. Extremely long and flavorful, yet always bright and in focus. Needs four or five years to come together. Try after 2028.

A full-bodied white with sliced cooked apples, pears, spices and hints of stone, bitter lemon and lemon curd. Round and flavorful. Lots of pure fruit. Very primary. Brioche at the end. Drink or hold.

Full review - From a great site in Sonoma, the medium gold-hued 2021 Chardonnay UV Vineyard has a perfumed bouquet of tangerines, ripe pears, honeyed spice, and some floral nuances. It's medium to full-bodied and has a round, layered mouthfeel and a beautiful sense of purity and freshness.

Redcurrants, Mediterranean herbs, chocolate, and some darker tea notes all emerge from the 2021 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard, a more masculine, medium to full-bodied, savory, complex effort. It has plenty of density and depth, and I expect it will evolve for a decade.

Winemaker Helen Keplinger came here in 2014 and has consistently been making beautiful wines. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard offers a pretty, medium to full-bodied, more elegant style as well as a terrific array of red, blue, and black fruits supported by floral and violet notes. It has perfectly integrated background oak, fine, polished tannins, and a great finish. It's incredibly impressive, and while it already has some appeal, it's going to evolve for 20 years in cold cellars.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper is a total dream. Sumptuous and racy with notes of blackberry jam, cloves, menthol, licorice and chocolate. The blend of three blocks and three clones (4, 144 and 337) is so complementary. The 2021 is magnificent. An archetype of modern Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 is super elegant, polished and refined from start to finish. What a knockout.

The 2021 Chardonnay UV Vineyard is a very pretty wine. Lemon confit, white flowers, tropical fruit and a kiss of new French oak are all nicely layered. In 2021, I see a bit more freshness than in some other previous vintages. It's a style that works quite well. Pretty, silky notes grace the textured finish. This is compelling.

The 2021 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard is positively stellar. Rich and explosive in the glass, the 2021 possesses superb depth and textural intensity from start to finish. Ripe red/purplish fruit, blood orange and sweet spice are beautifully amplified in a rich, heady and ample Pinot that delivers the goods.

The 2020 Chardonnay UV Vineyard is a polished, elegant wine, as much as that was possible in this vintage. Lemon oil, mint, white flowers and a kiss of French oak lend quite a bit of character. The 2020 is a pretty wine, especially in its first impression, but the shortcomings of the vintage are more apparent on the edgy finish. Overall, though, this is a fine effort for the year.

The 2019 The Mark, Carte Blanche's red blend, is powerful and explosive to the core. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol and espresso all meld together. The 2019 offers an intriguing mix of opulent and more vibrant notes that emerge over time. I very much admire the complexity, energy and freshness here. The 2019 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from Missouri Hopper, Merlot from Orchard and Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from Sage Ridge.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper is fabulous. Rich, inky and deeply layered, the 2019 possesses tremendous density and vibrancy to march. Copious blue purplish fruit, gravel, licorice, menthol, violet and spice race across the palate in this sumptuous, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. There's plenty of structure, but the tannins are nearly buried by the sheer luxuriousness of the fruit.

Lots of fresh lemon zest and pineapple here, with a very discreet, creamy edge and minerality. Fresh, medium acidity gives an authentic feel to the creamy, svelte palate. Extremely well balanced and drinkable. So elegant and precise, with lovely gastronomic allure. Almost a little understated. Drink now or hold.

This is an opulent and rich red, with intensity and freshness at the same time. It’s full-bodied with plush and integrated tannins that fold nicely into the wine. Fleshy texture. Creamy and round-tannined. Juicy finish. A blend of 66% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 11% cabernet franc and 3% petite verdot. Drink or hold.

Despite spending 18 months in 50% new French oak, the 2019 Chardonnay UV Vineyard gives the impression of understated wood alongside ripe pear and melon flavors. Medium to full-bodied, this is mellow and elegant, plush and luxurious in feel, yet it has assertive citrus and spice notes on the gently warm finish.

A blend of four Dijon clones (114, 667, 777, 828), the 2019 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard was fermented using 30% whole clusters. It boasts a fantastic nose, loaded with rose petals and delicate tea-like herbals, plus cherries and subtle spice notes. Medium to full-bodied, it's round, supple and velvety, closing with some root-like notes of beets and sassafras.

A blended red that includes 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, Carte Blanche’s 2019 The Mark marries complex, herbal aromas of sage, bay leaf and a hint of bell pepper with ripe cassis and cherry fruit. Full-bodied, soft and plush, it finishes long, with hints of dark chocolate and mocha.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard epitomizes the current state of plush, valley-floor Napa Cabernet. From a famous Oakville site nestled up against the Mayacamas, it's 100% Cabernet Sauvignon (Clones 4 and 337) yet wonderfully lush and velvety. Cassis and black cherry fruit is cosseted by 100% new French oak, adding gentle vanilla and cedar nuances on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is really deep and intense yet manages to be soft and elegant on the long, mouthwatering finish.

The 2019 Chardonnay UV Vineyard is beautiful, just a clean, pure, impeccably balanced white that does everything right. Notes of white currants, stone fruits, chalky minerality, and white flowers all define the nose, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a layered, elegant mouthfeel, nicely integrated acidity, and a great finish. It shows a more open, supple style compared to previous vintages yet should still have 4-6 years of prime drinking if stored correctly.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard comes from a vineyard on the Sonoma Coast and is made by Helen Keplinger. Revealing classic Sonoma notes of perfumed raspberry and strawberry fruits as well as sappy herbs, flowers, and subtle sassafras nuances, it’s medium-bodied on the palate, with a supple elegant, charming mouthfeel, light tannins, and just an overall balanced, seamless profile. It’s ideal for enjoying over the coming 7-8 years

Based on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc (the percentages weren't specified), the 2019 The Mark is a big, rich, dense, bruiser of a wine that's loaded with darker cherry and blackberry fruits as well as tobacco, scorched earth, cedar pencil, and leafy herbs. It opens up slightly with air and has full-bodied richness, ripe yet certainly present tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. It needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will cruise for 15+ in cold cellars.

In the same ballpark quality-wise as the 2018, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is more open and sexy, with a mostly opaque ruby/plum color as well as a great bouquet of ripe red and black currants, lead pencil shavings, spice box, tobacco, and hints of violets. Incredibly perfumed and already complex, it's full-bodied on the palate, has a round, expansive mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a great finish. As with many 2019s, it doesn't have the precision of the 2018 yet brings more mid-palate flesh and density. It's a beautiful, layered, rich, yet also elegant Cabernet Sauvignon to enjoy over the coming 20 years.

The 2019 Chardonnay UV Vineyard is an attractive, delicate wine. Lemon peel, white flowers, mint and orchard fruit open in the glass. The 2019 is a good wine, but it is not distinguished nor particularly complex. I just want - and expect - more at this level.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard is racy and exuberant. Super-ripe red cherry, mint, cedar, tobacco and a good deal of savoriness from the whole clusters (40%) lend character. As with the Chardonnay, the Pinot is a good wine, but it is not terribly engaging. My impression is that site, at elevation in the Petaluma Gap, is capable of more than this.

The 2018 The Mark is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon from Missouri Hopper, 40% Merlot from Orchard and Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from Sage Ridge. Deep and layered in the glass, with gorgeous aromatic presence, the 2018 is superb. I very much like the energy here. Rose petal, lavender, mint, spice and mocha linger.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper is a huge, dense wine packed with black fruit, chocolate, leather, grilled herbs and earthy tones. This potent, virile Cabernet offers tons of character. I would give it at least a few years in bottle. This deep, plush Cabernet has a ton to offer.

A rich, layered white with sliced cooked apples and limes and plenty of nougat and yogurt undertones. Full-bodied and flavorful with just the right amount of spice and toasted oak at the finish. Opulent, yet fresh and energetic. Wente clone. Drink now or hold.

Lovely sweetness and suppleness to this with flowers and orange peel, together with dried fruit and aromatic notes. Full-bodied with supple, juicy fruit. Beautiful length and yumminess. Drink now.

A cabernet with sliced-berry, fresh-herb and wet-earth character. Medium-to full-bodied, balanced and layered. Bright and energetic. Ripe, polished tannins. It’s very succulent with a salty undertone. Beautiful now, but try in 2024 and onwards.

A rather bold red with blackcurrant, pine-cone and bark character on the nose and palate. Full-bodied with juicy, velvety tannins. Walnut undertones. Hints of dark earth. Mushrooms, too. Needs time to come together, but already a beauty. Try in 2024.

This is very intense with spices, walnuts, herbs and plums, as well as blackcurrants. It’s full-to medium-bodied with agility, freshness and ultra fine tannins that are juicy and flavorful. Lots of fruit, but it remains in-check and fresh. Drinkable now, but better in two or three years.

Full-bodied with a deep, layered palate. Lots of dark fruit with blackberry and currant character and chewy, polished tannins. Very attractive and juicy now, but three or four years of bottle age will make it even better. Try after 2023.

These Carte Blanche releases are made by the talented Helen Keplinger. The 2018 Chardonnay UV Vineyard offers an impressive, medium to full-bodied, nicely reductive style as well as notes of lemon curd, white flowers, hazelnuts, and integrated oak. It’s beautifully balanced and a gorgeous, classic Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.

The 2018 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard, which saw 30% stems, offering a La Tâche-like sexiness in its black raspberry and framboise fruit as well as notes of spice and flowers. It’s medium to full-bodied and has a flawlessly balanced, layered texture as well as silky tannins. It’s going to put a smile on any Pinot lover’s face over the coming 7-8 years at a minimum.

Lastly, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard comes from a great site in Oakville that continues to fly slightly under the radar yet produces brilliant wines. Incredible cassis, graphite, damp earth, and violet notes emerge from the glass, and this full-bodied beauty offers plenty of high-end oak, ripe, seamless tannins, and flawless balance. It just screams of Cabernet. There’s no harm drinking bottles today, but I’d nevertheless recommend a solid 4-5 years of bottle age. It should keep for two-plus decades.

A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2018 The Mark reveals a vivid purple color to go with full-bodied aromas and flavors of assorted dark fruits (blackberries, cassis), toasted spices, graphite, and scorched earth. It’s full-bodied, dense, and unevolved, yet loaded with potential. Hide bottles for 4-5 years.

The 2018 Chardonnay UV Vineyard needs coaxing to reveal compelling scents of fresh grapefruit, orange blossoms and lemon curd plus wafts of honey-drizzled white peaches and chalk dust. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers fantastic intensity with bags of citrus and stone fruit flavors with a racy backbone and a long, chalky finish. 200 cases were made.

Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2018 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard leaps from the glass with vivacious scents of black cherries, black raspberries and tilled earth plus hints of baking spices, red roses and underbrush. The medium to full-bodied palate is chock-full of juicy black berry layers, framed by plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and fruity. 200 cases were made.

A blend predominately of Cabernet Sauvignon with some Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot, the 2018 The Mark sports a deep garnet-purple color and charges out of the gate with notions of cassis, wild blueberries, Morello cherries and minted dark chocolate plus nuances of underbrush and pencil shavings. The full-bodied palate is packed with black fruit and earthy layers, supported by a firm backbone of grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing long with a lively skip in its step. 150 cases were made.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Featuring a deep garnet-purple color, it sashays out of the glass with gregarious notions of baked plums, warm cassis and blueberry compote with suggestions of kirsch, dusty soil and Indian spices. The palate is full-bodied and laden with bright, lively, energetic black fruits, supported with firm, super ripe tannins and finishing on a persistent exotic spice note. 500 cases were made.

These Carte Blanche releases are made by the incredibly talented Helen Keplinger. Her 2017 Chardonnay UV Vineyard offers a beautiful stone fruit and citrus quality as well as more Chablis-like minerality, oyster shell and fresh cream notes. Beautifully balanced, incredibly pure, and vibrant on the palate, it’s a no brainer purchase that’s up with the crème de la crème of Chardonnay from California. It will keep for over a decade.

Also from the Sonoma Coast, the 2017 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard offers classic ripe strawberry and red currant fruits as well as notes of spicy herbs, underbrush, and earth. Medium to full-bodied, rich, nicely textured, and balanced, it’s going to benefit from a year or two of bottle age and drink nicely for a decade.

There are two Bordeaux variety releases, both beautiful wines. The 2017 The Mark checks in as 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, all brought up in new barrels. This smoky, gravelly mineral (almost Graves-like) effort has loads of ripe dark fruits as well as medium to full body, a complex, nuanced bouquet, terrific purity, and integrated, ripe tannins. It’s a classic, balanced Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley to enjoy over the coming 15+ years or more.

Even better, the 100% varietal 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon boasts a deep purple color as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of blackcurrants, unsmoked tobacco, chocolate, and earth. This ripe, sexy, opulent beauty has sweet tannins, a great mid-palate, and a great, great finish. It competes with wines 2-3 times the price.

A very pretty, refined wine with ripeness and richness. Stays tight and precise. Some plums, but more flowers and spices. Extremely long and savory. Drink or hold.

This comes from more than 20-year-old vines that are farmed by the Ulises Valdez family and planted 75% to Old Wente and 25% to Robert Young clone. It was barrel fermented and aged for 18 months in 100% Burgundian oak, 50% new. It went through 100% malolactic. The 2017 Chardonnay UV Vineyard reveals lovely ripe pears, fresh nectarines and green guava notes with hints of orange blossoms, honeycomb and shaved almonds plus a touch of nutmeg. Medium to full-bodied, that palate has a beautiful satiny texture and loads of expressive stone fruit and tropical flavors, finishing long and spicy. 200 cases were made.

This comes from clones 777, 667, 114 and 828. The 2017 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard was made with 30% whole cluster and was aged 18 months in 100% Burgundian barrels, 40% new. Medium to deep ruby-purple in color, it springs from the glass with vivacious Morello cherries, warm cranberries and black raspberries notes with touches of garrigue, lavender, Provence herbs and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate features a lovely savoriness, framed by fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and earthy. 200 cases were made.

The 2017 The Mark is blended of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper vineyard in Oakville, the Merlot from the Beckstoffer Orchard vineyard and the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot from the Sage Canyon vineyard in Napa Valley. It was aged 22 months in 100% French Darnajou, Taransaud and Sylvain barrels. Very deep purple-black in color, it gives up serious, classic scents of cassis, preserved plums and cedar chest with touches of pencil lead, dried herbs and black olives. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is well expressed with bags of juicy black fruit and plush tannins, finishing long. 150 cases were made.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (100%) comes from the Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper vineyard in Oakville. It aged in 100% French Darnajou, Taransaud and Sylvain oak for 22 months. Deep purple-black colored, it comes bounding out of the glass with exuberant black berry preserves, baked plums and candied violets with touches of chocolate mint, smoked meats and sautéed herbs. Full-bodied, rich and finely grained, it has lovely freshness and loads of savory layers on the finish. 500 cases produced.

Dried rose petals, orange rind, raspberry tea, strawberry perfume and plenty of citrus and spices. On the palate, this is a muscular pinot with grainy, firm tannins, lots of dark-chocolate flavors and a taut layer of acidity. A long, mineral finish. Drink in 2020.

This is really structured with a compressed and exciting palate of intense fruit and compact tannins. Full-bodied yet reserved and holding back. Fantastic length. Give this three to four years of bottle age. Wait until 2022.

From a great site on the Sonoma Coast, which is also known as the Laguna Vineyard, the 2016 Chardonnay UV Vineyard was barrel fermented and spent 16 months in 30% new French oak. This brilliant wine offers a medium gold color to go with rich, powerful notes of pineapple, crushed rocks, and brioche. It shows more and more minerality with time in the glass, has good acidity, and a concentrated, medium to full-bodied style that’s a joy to drink. It reminds me of a slightly Burgundian style Chardonnay from Mark Aubert.

As to the reds, the 2016 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard was mostly destemmed (there’s 30% stems) and spent 16 months in 40% new barrels. It’s another layered, rich, yet impeccably balanced wine and offers lots of red and black fruits, savory herbs, and earthy, forest floor-like nuances. Drink it over the coming decade or more.

Coming from Napa Valley, the 2016 Proprietary Red Wine is a blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, all aged in new barrels. This cuvée is made with the idea to be slightly more accessible and offers a St. Emilion-like feel in its blue fruits, tobacco leaf, crushed rocks, and cedary, spice-laced aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied, has a layered, balanced texture, and terrific tannin quality. It’s another powerful yet elegant wine from Keplinger.

A different beast, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) is more backward and reticent, and while it needs 4-5 years of bottle age, is packed with potential. Both black and blue fruits, earth, tobacco, and freshly crushed rock notes all flow to a full-bodied 2016 that has plenty of fine tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and beautiful intensity and length. Do your best to give this some bottle age, and you’ll be rewarded with a phenomenal Napa Valley Cabernet that will keep for 2-3 decades.

Inky black cherry, plum, chocolate, menthol and licorice are some of the many notes that run through Carte Blanche's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon. Plush and flamboyant, the 2016 retains terrific balance as well as persistence, with layers of flavor that continue to build in the glass.

Carte Blanche's 2016 Chardonnay is bright, nuanced and beautifully focused, not to mention absolutely delicious. Orchard fruit, white flowers, mint and lemon confit all grace this exquisite, classy Chardonnay. The mix of Wente and Robert Young clones works nicely here to produce a Chardonnay of notable complexity and class.

The 2016 Proprietary Red is delicate and nuanced, with Cabernet Franc very much in evidence in the wine's flavor profile and overall feel. Silky and expressive, the Proprietary Red has so much to offer. Floral notes add lift to a core of red-toned fruit in this classy, elegant wine from Carte Blanche. Everything just falls into place effortlessly.

The 2016 Chardonnay UV Vineyard (located six miles from the ocean) aged 18 months in 40% new Burgundian oak barrels. It has gorgeous tropical fruit notes of pineapple, guava and green mango with suggestions of baking bread, toasted almonds and honeysuckle. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with satiny-textured tropical flavors and just enough freshness, finishing long and fruity. 200 cases produced.

From a vineyard planted at 900 to 1,400 feet in elevation, using 30% whole cluster and aged in 40% new Burgundian oak, the medium to deep ruby-purple colored 2016 Pinot Noir Sun Chase Vineyard gives up notes of redcurrants, cranberries and pomegranate with touches of bay leaves, tilled soil and tobacco leaf. Medium-bodied, the palate is beautifully perfumed with a soft, plush texture and refreshing lift to the finish. 200 cases produced.

The 2016 Proprietary Red is a blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot aged 22 months in 100% French oak barrels. Very deep purple-black in color, it displays intense blackcurrants, warm blackberries and blueberry compote notes with suggestions of tree bark, incense and tar plus a waft of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied and firm, with exquisitely ripe tannins, it delivers wonderful length and depth. 150 cases produced.

One-hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon aged 22 months in 100% French oak, the very deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon gives quite a meaty nose of chargrilled meats, charcuterie and beef drippings over a core of cassis, preserved plums and black cherries plus touches of cedar, unsmoked cigars and underbrush. Full, rich and seductive in the mouth, it has a soft, super ripe and finely grained texture with layer upon layer of black fruits, finishing long with a spicy kick. 500 cases produced.

Carte Blanche's 2015 Proprietary Red is soft, sensual and inviting. This is a relatively quiet, understated style for the year. More importantly, the 2015 shows better from bottle than it did last year. Dark berry, mocha, espresso and floral notes are nicely pushed forward. The Franc character is especially evident today.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is fabulous. Rich, inky and explosive, the 2015 is endowed with serious intensity. Crème de cassis, blueberry jam, menthol, licorice and graphite all infuse this sumptuous, flamboyant Cabernet Sauvignon. The 100% new oak is beautifully integrated, even at this early stage. The 2015 is mostly Missouri Hopper and about 7% Cabernet Sauvignon from David Abreu's Las Posadas Vineyard on Howell Mountain. The 2015 is silky and unctuous, but not at all heavy.

Leading off the 2015s from this estate, the 2015 Proprietary Red is a much more Cabernet-dominated blend than the 2014 and is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and the rest Malbec. Brought up all in new French oak, this monster effort boasts a deep purple color as well as sensational notes of currants, blackberry liqueur, graphite, espresso roast and leafy herbs. Full-bodied, ripe, opulent and incredibly concentrated, this killer effort needs 2-3 years to shed some baby fat, but it’s going to keep for 2-3 decades.

Lastly, and pure perfection in the glass, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% varietal from two great sites: Missouri Hopper in Oakville and Las Posadas in Howell Mountain. Aged in 100% new French oak, it offers an incredible bouquet of crème de cassis, liquid rock, graphite, lead pencil shavings, and unsmoked tobacco, with searing minerality in the aromatics as well as on the palate. Offering full-bodied richness, terrific concentration, and building tannin, this backward, dense, yet perfectly balanced 2015 needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will impress for 2-3 decades. Bravo!

Blended of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper vineyard with 18% Merlot, 18.5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 0.5% Malbec, the 2015 Proprietary Red gives a very deep inky purple color and very pretty nose of baking spices, potpourri, underbrush and rose hip tea over a core of crushed black plums and black currants, with hints of dried mint and chocolate box. Rich, full-bodied and impactful with its layers of perfumed fruit in the mouth, it has lovely plush tannins and just enough acid lift, finishing with great length. 200 cases were made.

Composed of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, 10.5% Petit Verdot and 0.5% Malbec, the 2014 Proprietary Red has a deep garnet-purple color and compelling cassis, black cherries, mulberries and plums nose with hints of chocolate box and menthol. Full-bodied and jam-packed with muscular black fruit, it has a very firm, ripe, fine-grained tannic backbone and a long, pure-fruited finish. 200 cases were made

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is made predominately from Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper vineyard. It gives a very deep purple-black color and is redolent of crème de cassis, blueberry compote, Indian spices and crushed rocks with touches of black soil, cigar boxes and Provence herbs. The palate is built like a brick house with a solid frame of firm, fine-grained tannins and plenty of freshness supporting the generous black and blue fruits and beautiful spice layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note. 200 cases were made.

Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon from Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper vineyard with 6% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. It offers up notions of crushed blackberries, warm blueberries and dried herbs with suggestions of cedar, Marmite toast and unsmoked cigar. Medium to full-bodied with impressive concentration and a rock-solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins, the palate delivers mouth-filling black and blue fruit with a lively kick on the long, earthy finish. 400 cases were made.

The 2014 Proprietary Red Wine is a powerful, tannic wine that is going to need at least a few years to fully come together, but it is impressive, even at this early stage. This is an especially vibrant 2014. Floral, savory overtones laced with violet, lavender, spice and menthol add shades of nuance throughout. The 2014 has developed nicely since I last tasted it from barrel a year ago.

A totally striking wine, Carte Blanche's 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is every bit as good from bottle as it was from barrel. Black cherry, graphite, earthiness, tobacco and licorice all give the wine its savory personality. Rich, voluptuous and racy, the 2014 offers superb depth in an opulent, flamboyant style that will be easy to enjoy with minimal cellaring.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is a bit of a mystery. Jammy, alcoholic, excessively oaky and volatile, the 2013 never seems to come together in the glass. This is an awkward showing from a producer that has been much more reliable and consistent in the past.

Dark, powerful and intense, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is laced with black cherry, plum, leather, smoke, licorice, tar, smoke and savory herbs. Plump and expressive, with a good range of textures and flavors, the 2012 is a delicious Cabernet to drink now and over the next decade.

The 2012 Proprietary Red was made from the same blend, but yields were much higher. Both wines should drink well for 6-8 years. Both the 2011 and 2012 Cabernet Sauvignons are blends of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot. In this case, the 2012 clearly outperforms the 2011

The four Bordeaux-styled reds include the 2011 Proprietary Red, a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot.

Offering more generous amounts of blacker fruits, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon displays a deeper, richer mouthfeel as well as more stuffing. It should keep for a decade or more.

A very good effort, the forward 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon offers up notes of red and black currants, licorice, underbrush and a hint of roasted herbs. It is a medium-bodied, soft, round wine to drink over the next 7-8 years.

Another powerful, young wine, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is incredibly dense and virtually impenetrable. Blue and black fruit, grilled herbs, licorice, new leather, menthol and tobacco flow through to an incisive finish layered with graphite and crushed rocks. Today, the 2010 is cool and implosive, suggesting it needs at least another few years to come together. The addition of 10% Petit Verdot seems to give the wine some of its brooding personality.

The 2010 Proprietary Red bursts from the glass with dark fruit, smoke, tobacco, new leather and grilled herbs. Intense layers of minerality and vibrant acidity add support and backbone. A final burst of blue and black fruit saturates the palate in this compelling wine. The 2010 stands out for its fabulous overall balance. In 2010, the blend is 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025

Carte Blanche is a partnership between proprietor Nicholas Allen and winemaker Luc Morlet. Although a new project started only in 2008, all of the wines I have tasted so far have been impressive. The 2010s are no exception. I also revisited the 2009s, which are just as impressive as they were last year. The 2010 Proprietary Red bursts from the glass with dark fruit, smoke, tobacco, new leather and grilled herbs. Intense layers of minerality and vibrant acidity add support and backbone. A final burst of blue and black fruit saturates the palate in this compelling wine. The 2010 stands out for its fabulous overall balance. In 2010, the blend is 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot.

The 2009 Proprietary Red comes across as quite sumptuous. It lacks some of the classicism of the 2008. Instead, readers will find a wine loaded with dark red fruit, smoke, tar, incense and licorice. This is bigger than the 2008 but not quite as delineated. It makes up for that with gorgeous richness and balance. The 2009 is 47% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2024.

The 2008 Proprietary Red emerges from the glass with espresso, cedar, graphite, spice box, earthiness and dark red fruit. Smoke, scorched earth and a host of darker aromas and flavors emerge from this sumptuous yet elegant, mid-weight wine. A fine, pointed finish rounds things out in style. This is polished, refined and totally first class. In 2008 the blend is 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon caresses the palate with deep layers of dark red fruit, rose petals, smoke and espresso. It is a bit more voluptuous and sexier than the 2008 in its sleek, polished personality. All of the elements flow gracefully to the huge, textured finish. The 2009 is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019.

Winemaker Luc Morlet is part owner at Carte Blanche, where, as the name implies, he has the freedom to stretch his wings in making Bordeaux-inspired reds. The wines are made with natural yeasts and natural bacteria for the malolactic fermentations. The Proprietary Red is a Bordeaux right bank-modeled wine, with Cabernet Franc from To Kalon, Merlot from Newton on Spring Mountain and Cabernet Sauvignon from a vineyard in Calistoga. The Cabernet Sauvignon takes its inspiration from Bordeaux's left bank. The first vintage for Carte Blanche is 2008. The 2008 Proprietary Red emerges from the glass with espresso, cedar, graphite, spice box, earthiness and dark red fruit. Smoke, scorched earth and a host of darker aromas and flavors emerge from this sumptuous yet elegant, mid-weight wine. A fine, pointed finish rounds things out in style. This is polished, refined and totally first-class. In 2008 the blend is 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc.

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon bursts from the glass with layers of black fruit, spices, menthol and minerals. It shows great intensity in its fruit, as it builds to the muscular, explosive finish. In 2008 this site was hit hard by the spring frost. According to Luc Morlet the vineyard was also affected by smoke taint from the fires that year, but frankly, that note is very, very faint in this wine, and similar notes also come through in the 2009. The 2008 is 94.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4.5% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.

The 2009 Proprietary Red comes across as quite sumptuous. It lacks some of the classicism of the 2008. Instead, readers will find a wine loaded with dark red fruit, smoke, tar, incense and licorice. This is bigger than the 2008 but not quite as delineated. It makes up for that with gorgeous richness and balance. The 2009 is 47% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.