2019 was a low-yielding year, and there was one 700-liter oak barrel of the 2019 Tumba del Rey Moro, where the wine aged slowly with a very late malolactic, which prevented me from tasting it last year when I tasted other wines from the vintage. One of the skills they have developed is the painstaking sorting of the grapes, so what goes into the vats is only perfect grapes, which often means they discard a significant amount of the crop, and in 2019, they have a very limited production of all their wines. The wine has an unusual 15.1% alcohol but very healthy acidity and freshness parameters, a pH of 3.39 and 6.74 grams of acidity (in tartaric), so the wine is very balanced but at a different point from the 2018. In warmer years, this vineyard suffers more than Rumbo and Norte, where there is a higher content of silt that helps retain freshness. 909 bottles were filled in July 2021. November 2021 Week 2, The Wine Advocate, 12 Nov 2021, Luis Gutiérrez
From a vineyard named for Aubert's frequent collaborator, Ulises Valdez, and still farmed by his family, the 2021 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard (1,000 cases produced, from a Laguna Road site that's slightly warmer than Aubert's other Pinot Noir sources) features bold notes of cherries, cinnamon and wood spice. It's medium to full-bodied and silky across the mid-palate, finishing long and softly tannic. Nicely balanced and structured, it should age well for more than a decade. The Wine Advocate, Dec 31, 2022, Joe Czerwinski
The UV site is right in the middle of Russian River, planted to Calera and Vosne-Romanée (suitcase) clones. The 2019 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard was aged in French oak, 60% new, and bottled at the beginning of July. Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the nose is wonderfully perfumed, featuring notes of red roses, underbrush, wild sage and menthol over a core of pomegranate, black raspberries and wild strawberries. The palate is softly textured and beautifully balanced with full-bodied, generous fruit and just enough freshness, finishing long with a red berry lift. January 2021 Week 1, The Wine Advocate, 8th Jan 2021, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Continuum's 2019 Proprietary Red is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot, all from the estate vineyard on Pritchard Hill. Aged in two-thirds new French oak, with the balance in second or third-use barrels and a single concrete amphora, it's remarkably dark in hue, a deep, saturated purple in the glass. On the nose, it's floral and herbal yet fruit-driven, with violets, sage and bay leaf adding nuance to black cherries, while the palate is full-bodied, plush and silky. There's an enticing yin-yang to the interplay between high-toned herbals and bass notes of dark chocolate in this dense, concentrated effort that finishes lush and long. It's a magnificent wine that should drink well for at least two decades. The Wine Advocate, 31 May 2022, Joe Czerwinski
Composed of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot, the deep garnet-purple 2018 Proprietary Red has a fantastically fragrant nose of candied violets, red roses, Morello cherries and blackcurrant pastilles with hints of wild blueberries, red currant jelly, iron ore and forest floor, plus a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely packed with tightly wound black and red berry layers, framed by firm, ripe, finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with incredibly persistent and evocative floral and mineral layers. An absolute head-turner, this 2018 is all that and then some. Tim Mondavi mentioned that this is due to be bottled in just a few weeks—mid-August—meaning this barrel sample I tasted is pretty close to being a finished wine. With the estate vineyard turning 10 year's old in 2018, here's where we see how incredibly special this singular Pritchard Hill site really is. August 2020 Week 1, The Wine Advocate, 6 Oct 2020, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The medium ruby-purple colored 2017 Pinot Noir CIX Estate has beautiful red raspberries, cranberry pie and Bing cherries scents with nuances of lavender, dried herbs, red roses and tilled soil plus a touch of underbrush. The palate is full, firm and grainy with lovely ripe tannins and a great core of vibrant red fruit, finishing long and perfumed. Mid-October 2018 New Releases, The Wine Advocate, 30th Oct 2018, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2017 Pinot Noir UV Vineyard is medium ruby-purple colored with exuberant redcurrants, black cherries and black raspberries notes with hints of violets, chocolate box and rose hip tea. The palate is full-bodied with a firm frame of fine-grained tannins and amazing freshness, finishing very long and juicy. Mid-October 2018 New Releases, The Wine Advocate, 30th Oct 2018, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2017 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard gives gorgeous black cherries, pomegranate, fresh blackberries and wild blueberries scents with suggestions of licorice, potpourri, chocolate tart and clove with a touch of dried Provence herbs. The palate is full-bodied with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins and oodles of freshness supporting the flamboyant black and blue fruits, finishing with an exciting herbal lift. Mid-October 2018 New Releases, The Wine Advocate, 30th Oct 2018, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Medium to deep ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir UV-SL Vineyard sports a very earthy nose laced with underbrush, damp soil and mossy bark over a black fruit core plus a pretty perfumed undercurrent of sandalwood, aniseed and dried flowers. The full-bodied palate is big, exuberant, rich and firmly structured, with chewy tannins supporting the muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy. Give it another year or two in bottle and drink it over the next decade. The Wine Advocate, Nov 01, 2017, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2008 The Maiden is a beautiful wine graced with exquisite finesse in its dark red berries, flowers and licorice. Gorgeous inner perfume and a super-refined personality are some of the qualities found in the 2008 Maiden. A weightless, subtle finish rounds things out nicely. Stylistically the 2008 Maiden is quite a bit more delicate – at times even fleeting – next to the 2008 Harlan Estate. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.Vintages 2008 and 2009 are totally different in character at Harlan Estate. In 2008 the two wines are also quite far apart stylistically, while in 2009 the wines are much more closely linked. The 2010s I tasted from barrel were all raciness and pure excitement. Readers may want to take a look at my video interview on www.erobertparker.com with Bill Harlan in which Harlan discusses Promontory, his newest project. Wine Advocate (198), Dec 2011, Antonio Galloni
The 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain possesses a black/blue/purple color, and a texture of unctuosity and thickness. Greatness is suggested by a wonderfully sweet mid-section, gorgeous purity, and this humongous wine's overall symmetry. It also possesses sumptuous layers of concentration, remarkably sweet tannin, low acidity, and a 40+ second finish. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2040. Wine Advocate (126), Jan 2000, Robert Parker
The 1994s might be ready to drink within 10-15 years. It is hard to believe these wines spend 30 months in oak casks before bottling as they are incredibly unevolved and backward when released. Look out for the behemoth 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. This black/purple-colored wine adds a few more nuances (minerals, licorice, and floral scents) to the lavish display of creme de cassis. Full-bodied, with a blockbuster level of extract and density, this is an outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon for readers with patience, good genes for longevity, or the foresight to purchase it for their children. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030. Wine Advocate (114), Dec 1997, Robert Parker
The 1991 Howell Mountain Cabernet is noticeably thicker and more highly extracted than the 1992 and 1993 vintages. It is a huge, rich, powerful wine with great depth, as well as a boat-load of tannin. Do not touch a bottle for at least 5-6 years. Wine Advocate (132), Dec 2000 Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Park Avenue is a brand new, single-vineyard label for Aubert. This site was purchased by Mark Aubert in 2013. It had previously been an apple orchard but has since been planted to mostly Hyde Clone Chardonnay with a little Montrachet clone. It is located on the Sonoma Coast, conveniently situated right in between Aubert's Lauren and CIX vineyards. The vineyard has a long road leading up to the property, hence the name "Park Avenue." Note that the previous two vintages from this vineyard were declassified into the AVA wine. January 2021 Week 1, The Wine Advocate, 8th Jan 2021, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
A barrel sample, the 2019 Chardonnay UV-SL opens with compelling floral notes—honeysuckle and lime blossoms—over a core of red apples, green guava and honeydew melon with underlying suggestions of baking bread, allspice and marzipan. The full-bodied palate has a pleasant hint of phenolic grip to the texture with seamless acidity supporting the densely laden apple and tropical fruit flavors, finishing long and yeasty/toasty. The Wine Advocate, Jan 08, 2021, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The second vintage of this wine, the 2018 Chardonnay Powder House comes from eight acres of what are now estate-owned vines planted in 2013 to Hyde Old Wente and Mt. Eden clones on Goldridge soils. The vineyard is located in downtown Forestville, right across from the high school. It bursts with tantalizing notions of peaches and cream, orange sherbet and lemon pastilles giving way to a grounded, serious core of Bosc pears, beeswax and baking bread. Full-bodied with a gorgeous creaminess to the texture, it delivers loads of citrus sparks among the stone fruit background with a lively backbone and very long finish. 1,000 cases were made. January 2021 Week 1, The Wine Advocate, 8th Jan 2021, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The first vintage of this wine, the 2017 Chardonnay Powder House comes from eight acres of what are now estate-owned vines planted in 2013, to Hyde Old Wente and Mt. Eden clones on Goldridge soils. The vineyard is located in downtown Forestville, right across from the high school. At 15.4% alcohol, like Aubert’s other single-vineyard, singular Chardonnays, this baby is no shrinking violet. Although it is a little youthfully closed to begin, it unwinds with coaxing to offer glimpses at baked apple, poached pears, peach preserves and pineapple upside-down cake plus hints of praline, crème brûlée and clover honey. Full-bodied, the palate features a wicked backbone of freshness, beautifully lifting all those concentrated, densely packed flavors, finishing very long and wonderfully pure. Issue 245 End of October 2019, The Wine Advocate, 1 Nov 2019, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Slightly closed at this youthful stage, the 2016 Chardonnay Durell Vineyard slowly unfurls to reveal pineapple, pink grapefruit and lemon curd scents with underlying notions of baking bread, chopped almonds, chalk dust and allspice. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is beautifully poised between intense tropical and citrus flavors and fantastic tension, featuring a long, silken-textured finish. The Wine Advocate, Jun 30, 2018, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
The 2013 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons reveals a greenish hue to its gold color as well as crisp acidity, hints of orange blossom, white peach, white currants and mangoes. This fresh, beautifully fruited, medium to full-bodied, rich wine should drink well for 10-12 years. Production from this four-acre vineyard is generally around 1,000 cases. The Wine Advocate, Dec 30, 2014, Robert M. Parker, Jr.