A barrel sample blended of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 4% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc expected to age 18 months in 70% new French oak, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple colored and reveals vibrant crushed black cherries, blackberries and mulberries with touches of dried herbs, charcuterie and tapenade. The palate is full, very firm, concentrated and vibrant, with beautiful freshness and a long, earthy finish.

This is a fantastic red for the vintage. Excellent currants and berries with hints of cedar. Medium to full body. Juicy finish. Linear and well made. 90% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 3% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. Drink now.

Moving to the Bordeaux varieties, these are largely handled by Tony Biagi. The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is a good value and well worth checking out. It has textbook Napa Valley cassis and blueberry fruits along with piney/forest floor and tobacco nuances as well as some earthy, Graves-like gravelly minerality. Drink this medium to full-bodied, balanced, downright pretty Cabernet over the coming decade.

The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is soft, fruity and easy to like. I would prefer to drink it young, while the fruit remains vibrant, but at the same time, the 2017 needs a few years in bottle for the tannins to soften. Stylistically, the 2017 is bright and energetic, with notes of red fruit, flowers, cedar and white pepper that open up in the glass.