Vinous (94)

Glass-staining ruby. Alluring aromas of red- and blackcurrant, cherry compote, incense and pipe tobacco. Lush and creamy on entry, then firmer in the middle, offering sweet dark fruit flavors complicated by notes of candied rose, licorice and smoky herbs. Supple and palate-staining wine with superb finishing clarity and lingering sweetness.

Wine Advocate (96)

The 2009 Les Pavots, a 3,440-case blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, comes from Knights Valley. It exhibits a distinctive truffle, chocolate, blackberry and cassis-scented bouquet, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and fabulous concentration, purity and density. This magnificent effort’s open-knit style was surprising as most Northern California 2009s made from Bordeaux varietals are somewhat austere and closed at present. This wine should drink well for another two decades or more.

Vinous (92)

(73% cabernet sauvignon, 14% cabernet franc, 10% merlot and 3% petit verdot): Opaque ruby. Smoky, deeply pitched aromas of cassis, blueberry and dark chocolate, with a hint of truffle adding a musky, earthy nuance. In a substantial style for the vintage, offering sweet dark fruit preserve flavors and a touch of candied licorice. Tangy acidity adds lift to the round, gently tannic, persistent finish, with the blue fruit note echoing.

James Suckling (97)

Love the sweet berries, black olives, tile and fresh herbs on the nose with floral undertones. Oyster shell, too. Full-bodied with round, creamy tannins that are beautifully polished and refined. Very long finish. All about finesse and wonderful length. 68% cabernet sauvignon, 19% cabernet franc, 10% merlot and 3% petit verdot. Drink after 2023.

James Suckling (99)

This is very perfumed with blackberry and pine-cone aromas, as well as raspberries and black cherries. Full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins that are tight-grained. Creamy and beautiful. Currant and graphite flavors come through. Lightly chewy at the end. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 21% merlot, 14% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. Drink after 2025.

James Suckling (99)

This is very perfumed with blackberry and pine-cone aromas, as well as raspberries and black cherries. Full-bodied with firm, velvety tannins that are tight-grained. Creamy and beautiful. Currant and graphite flavors come through. Lightly chewy at the end. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 21% merlot, 14% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. Drink after 2025.

Vinous (95)

The 2018 Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille is dense, powerful and tightly wound. I would give it a few years to come together. Ripe apricot, orange confit, baked apple tart and wild flowers infuse the 2018 with notable complexity to match its dense, packed personality.

Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is quite a bit nervier than I recall from previous tastings. That won’t be an issue for readers who can wait. Dried herbs, mocha, graphite and incense build nicely in the glass. My impression is that the 2008 is going through a phase of reticence. Some previous bottles have been much more expressive. That is certainly not the case here, but it is a reminder of the uniquely human quality of artisan wines. They can have their moods. I look forward to tasting this again in a few years’ time.

Wine Advocate (95+)

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is stunningly beautiful and seductive in its red fruit, mint and tobacco. This is a surprisingly accessible vintage for the Cabernet Sauvignon. Today it looks like an excellent choice for readers who want to explore the wines of this iconic producer – as long as it doesn’t close down in bottle. Togni’s 2009 is notable for its exceptional elegance, finesse and pedigree. There is plenty of Spring Mountain structure, but today the 2009 is disarmingly sexy and radiant for such a young wine. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

Taking lots of air to show at its best, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a brilliant, classic, age-worthy wine from this great estate. It certainly shows the more structured, vibrant style of the 2018 vintage with lively acids, yet it has utterly classic Cabernet crème de cassis and almost blue fruits as well as Bordeaux-like notes of lead pencil, cedarwood, tobacco, and assorted floral nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it brings rock-solid intensity, perfectly ripe yet building, firm tannins, and again, the vintage's freshness, purity, and elegance. It reminds me of a top Saint-Julien and is a classic, old school, structured Cabernet that will reward bottle age. It needs 7-8 years to hit maturity (it's approachable today with a healthy decant), and I have no doubt this will be a 30- to 40-year wine.

Vinous (96-99)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is off the charts. What a wine. The 2019 captures all the Togni signatures, but with both more fruit richness and energy than is the norm. A Cabernet of gravitas and consequence, the 2019 is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year. Black cherry, plum, graphite, spice and incense build into the palate-staining finish. The 2019 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, all co-fermented. I can't wait to taste it from bottle. All I can say is: Wow!

Wine Advocate (98+)

Possibly the best wine produced here since the terrific 2001 or 1991, Togni's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate comes across as rather cool and fresh, with gentle grace notes of mountain sage lending nuance to the predominantly red-berried fruit, tinged with cassis, mint and cedar. It's medium to full-bodied, concentrated and firm, with silky tannins and refreshing acids providing ample structure and amplifying the lingering, elegant finish.

Vinous (92)

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Tanbark Hill is soft, succulent and inviting, all of which make it a super-appealing wine to drink now and over the next decade or so. The radiance and fruit intensity of the year comes through nicely, and yet the wine retains its classic, mid-weight sense of structure and overall feel. Crushed flowers and sweet spice add lift in this gracious, pretty wine from Togni.

Vinous (98)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Auction 25 - Lot 23 is a one-off charity wine blended by Rosemary Cakebread, Cathy Corison, Dawnine Dyer and Diana Snowden for Premiere Napa Valley. It is a positively riveting wine. I don't use those words lightly. The purity of the flavors is just striking. Dark red/purplish berry fruit, graphite, lavender, sage and mint all soar out of the glass in a Cabernet that marries Napa Valley opulence with a classic sense of structure. Sadly, there are just twenty cases, all of them headed to London. Readers lucky enough to find a bottle or two are in for a real treat.

The Pride Mountain Napa and Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 is an exquisite, one-off vintage. Matured for two decades, it exudes complexity and depth. This full-bodied Cabernet hails from the renowned Pride Mountain Vineyards, nestled atop the Mayacamas mountain range straddling Napa and Sonoma counties. Characterised by its rich dark fruit profile with anise and chocolate nuances, it demonstrates the unique terroir influence of hilltop vineyards.

Pride Mountain, a family-run operation, adheres to sustainable viticulture practices, yielding wines of exceptional quality and elegance. The 1997 vintage showcases the highest expression of their endeavour, with its exquisite balance, smooth tannins, and a long, lingering finish. As the wine has aged, it has developed a complexity and maturity that amplifies its charms.

The Pride Mountain Napa and Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 is a treasure. A contiguous blend of both Napa and Sonoma fruit, it genuinely celebrates viticulture at the mountain's peak.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (92+)

Saturated purple-ruby. Restrained but complex aromas of blackberry, cassis, violet, licorice, bitter chocolate and minerals. Juicy and very firmly built; conveys a stronger impression of acidity. Black fruits complicated by mocha and dark chocolate notes. Less broad than the reserve claret but subtler and longer. Finishes with nobler tannins and slowly mounting, extremely persistent flavor.

The Pride Mountain Napa and Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 is a truly exquisite vintage, masterfully crafted by Pride Mountain Vineyards. Situated high atop Spring Mountain District that transcendently straddles Napa and Sonoma counties, this winery is acclaimed for its exceptional, full-bodied Cabernets. The sought-after 1999 blend reveals a harmonious unity of robust, multifaceted flavours. Decant this vintage to appreciate the intense, inky-purple hue, accompanied by captivating aromas of blackcurrant, tobacco, and fine-grain oak.

Immaculately fermented, this wine showcases the rich, high-quality grapes, nurtured from the estate’s unique, high-elevation vineyards. The Pride Mountain Napa and Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 offers an unforgettably velvety palate, where ripe plum, cherry, and dark chocolate notes merge with articulated tannins to proffer a long, complex finish. This vintage epitomises the winemaking craftsmanship that has positioned Pride Mountain Vineyards as a premier producer in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

The Pride Mountain Napa and Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 is a truly exquisite vintage, masterfully crafted by Pride Mountain Vineyards. Situated high atop Spring Mountain District that transcendently straddles Napa and Sonoma counties, this winery is acclaimed for its exceptional, full-bodied Cabernets. The sought-after 1999 blend reveals a harmonious unity of robust, multifaceted flavours. Decant this vintage to appreciate the intense, inky-purple hue, accompanied by captivating aromas of blackcurrant, tobacco, and fine-grain oak.

Immaculately fermented, this wine showcases the rich, high-quality grapes, nurtured from the estate’s unique, high-elevation vineyards. The Pride Mountain Napa and Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 offers an unforgettably velvety palate, where ripe plum, cherry, and dark chocolate notes merge with articulated tannins to proffer a long, complex finish. This vintage epitomises the winemaking craftsmanship that has positioned Pride Mountain Vineyards as a premier producer in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys.