Falstaff Magazin International Nr. 1/2022

wine / CALIFORNIA BEST

wine / CALIFORNIA BEST OF CALIFORNIA 26 falstaff mar – jun 2022 100 2018 SCREAMING EAGLE Napa Valley Intense dark berry aroma streams from the glass. Cabernet concentrate of cassis, liquorice, lavender oil, ethereal and floral at the same time, supported by fine oak, fresh red fruits and salty minerality. Fullbodied, but not exuberant, powerful yet elegant, carried by ripe tannins and driven by a racy acid core, a hedonistic wine of enormous length and incalculable potential. PM ••••• 99 2016 PROMONTORY Napa Valley A hint of lichen, of moss and conifer clings to the dark fruit, almost with a citrus intensity. That perfume also informs the palate which seems compact, bullet-like, contained, seamless. There is luscious, melting, ripe fruit with a crushed blackberry character. The tannins are fine, freshness pervades the wine. This is firm, ripe, taut, fresh, dense, sleek, aromatic. There is focus and elegance. AK ••••• 98 2017 CORISON KRONOS CABER- NET SAUVIGNON St. Helena, Napa Valley Wonderful blackcurrant lift to the perfumed nose, followed by fruit, wax and stone with some myrrh in the background. The palate is seamless, dense, flowing yet firm, like finest canvas stretched over a taut frame. There is an inherently graceful yet sumptuous structure, something very fine, bright and fresh at that dark-fruited heart of the wine. Incredibly elegant. AK ••••• 100 2018 DALLA VALLE MAYA Oakville, Napa Valley Deep, dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections. Intense dark berry fruit, fresh cassis note, some nougat, fine wood spice, backed by vanilla. Complex, juicy, ripe sweet blackberries, elegant tannins, very long, chocolaty touch on the finish, perfectly balanced, lingers for minutes, certain ageing potential for decades. PM ••••• 99 2018 LOKOYA HOWELL MOUN- TAIN, Napa Valley Touches of mocha and vanilla play around the crushed blueberry notions of the nose. The palate has earthy depth and an uncommon kind of salty resonance. Stone, salt and earth have a beautiful presence and lend the wine an unusual harmony that pulls together powerful but sumptuous tannins, a bold but sinuous body and rich, layered fruit with a cinnamon and nutmeg finish. AK ••••• 98 2017 SHAFER HILLSIDE SELECT Stags Leap District, Napa Valley Crushed plum and mocha have a hint of mint on the nose and immediately point to intense concentration. The palate then is a sumptuous swish of utterly concentrated but aromatic fruit, edged with freshness and revealing layers of smoke, blackberry, cocoa and mocha. Ripe tannins are firm but smooth and underlined by fine, mouth-watering acidity. A picture of sleek, smooth, bundled power. AK ••••• Up to EUR / GBP 15 and USD 20 EUR • •• EUR •••• / GBP 15 – 30 and USD 20 – 35 / GBP 51 – 100 and USD 61 – 110 ••••• 99 2015 HARLAN PROPRIETARY RED Napa Valley Lush sumptuousness of plum and dark berry, comes with a floral touch and a sense of earthiness. The palate is lush and ripe with fruit while tannins coat the entire mouth, trailing hints of dark chocolate, ash and coal. This is powerful but utterly disciplined, of flexed and defined muscle, with incredible depth of tar, of berry, of beautifully bitter, dark chocolate, underlined by freshness. AK ••••• 99 2018 JOSEPH PHELPS INSIGNIA Napa Valley Dark ruby, purple reflections. Fine, somewhat restrained wild berry confit, delicate raspberry and cherry aromas, fresh orange zest, attractive bouquet, a hint of cassis in the background. Complex, full-bodied, highly elegant, sweet cherry fruit, integrated tannins, fine nougat and great length, mineral in the finish, certain ageing potential for decades. PM ••••• 98 2018 COLGIN TYCHSON HILL Napa Valley Notions of freshly crushed blackberry fruit and a bright, berryish scentedness. The palate is dense and unfurls like a bale of glossy, soft silk. The tannins are firmly woven but exquisitely fine and ripe, drying only towards the end. The fruit is rich, sumptuous but also fresh and fine. Notions of blueberry appear. Just a little heat sits on the long finish that also holds an echo of fine cocoa. AK ••••• EUR / GBP 31 – 50 and USD 36 – 60 ••••• above EUR / GBP 100 and USD 110 Photos: Wineries

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