94-96 Point Wines:

Finally in the bottle, the 2011 Proprietary Red Cappella is showing even better than it did from barrel last year (a common occurrence at Abreu). The 2011, which includes more Merlot than usual because of the cold growing season,... Read More

The 2012 Cappella, probably has less Cabernet Franc than his other cuvées but at least 25-30%. This wine has closed down since I had it from barrel last year, but that probably reflects more on its post-bottling dormancy. A wine... Read More

The Cappella, which usually has at least 35-30% Cabernet Franc in it, looks absolutely fabulous now that the 2013 Cappella is finally in bottle. They only made about 206 cases of it, so it's a small cuvée from this vineyard... Read More

The 2008 Howell Mountain is fabulous. Blackberries, savory herbs, graphite and mint are some of the nuances that are woven together in a fabric of notable class and sheer personality. The tannins are quite firm and suggest the... Read More

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Madrona Ranch is an extraordinary wine that has a European structural profile imposed on the incredibly rich, pure fruit of Napa. Incense, creme de cassis, licorice, toasty oak, and spring flowers are... Read More

Abreu's first venture with Cabernet Sauvignon was from the Madrona Ranch, which is essentially the lower hillsides of Spring Mountain, just northwest of St. Helena. The dense purple-colored 2006 Madrona Ranch (55% Cabernet... Read More

The 2008 Madrona Ranch opens with an incredibly expressive bouquet. Espresso, mocha and licorice meld into dark red fruit and sweet exotic spices in this superb wine. The 2008 is an extraordinarily polished, refined wine for the... Read More

The 2004 Thorevilos (200 cases) exhibits a deeper purple hue, and the nose is more restrained and closed than the Madrona Ranch's. It offers up hints of minerality, earth and spice. The wine hits the palate with lots of richness... Read More

The 2010 Thorevilos seemed more tannic and backward than the 2009, which is somewhat of an anomaly in my tastings of these two vintages. Lots of espresso roast, white chocolate, blueberry, black raspberry and floral aromas jump... Read More

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After the mind-blowing 2004 Agharta Syrah, I had high expectations that it would be followed by additional great wines, and those hopes were answered with the 2005 Black Label, a blend of 97% Syrah, 2% Grenache and 1% Viognier.... Read More

There are 750 cases (which means good yields for John, although any normal person would call 1.5-1.75 tons per acre financial suicide) of the 2012 Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard, and it's a terrific vintage for this cuvee.... Read More

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous, a flamboyant and dramatic wine with terrific fruit intensity (blackberry, cassis and blueberry), subtle background vanilla and toast, a hint of lead pencil shavings and floral underpinnings.... Read More

I was taken aback by how powerful, rich, pure and concentrated the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature has turned out to be. Still in barrel, it is filled with cassis and spring flower-like characteristics as well as a lush, opulent,... Read More

Blended of 89% Syrah, 8% Mourvèdre and 3% Viognier using 54% whole cluster and spending around 22 months in French oak (60% new), the 2014 No 3 has a deep purple-black color and nose of blueberry preserves, spiced black berries... Read More

This is typical 1995 in that it's young, tannic, masculine and still vigorous and foreboding. This vintage at age 20 seems reluctant to evolve in the most graceful manner possible, but it is still easily holding on to life... Read More

I had this wine from my cellar, as well as at a tasting in Zurich in February of 2015. It is one of the handful of 2003s I bought from the Right Bank of Bordeaux in this vintage. Angelus really nailed the vintage, and has produced... Read More

One of the top wines of the vintage, the 2004 Angelus (a 7,500-case blend of 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Franc with a natural alcohol of 13.5%) is a classic, tannic, structured wine exhibiting a saturated dense purple color as... Read More

The Château Angelus 2014, a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot was picked between 2 and 22 October over a 3-week period. It has a surprisingly bashful nose at first, not one that comes racing out of the blocks to greet... Read More

A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the deep purple-black colored 2017 Angélus is a little closed to begin, opening out beautifully to notes of baked plums, fresh blackberries and chocolate-covered cherries with hints... Read More

(no tasting note available)

Deep, dark sensations of smoke, tar and scorched earth emerge from the powerful 2001 Solaia. This fresh, vibrant offering is packed with dense ripe fruit. This is an especially rich, heavy style of Solaia that lacks the subtlety... Read More

The 2009 Solaia is one of the clear standouts of the vintage. Freshly cut flowers, raspberries, spices, mint and licorice burst from the glass as this fabulous, viscerally thrilling wine shows off its pure class. Today the oak... Read More