2019 Vine Hill Ranch "VHR" Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

“Fresh, enticing aromas of sappy red and black fruits, leather, sandalwood, cassis, violets and sweet cedar. Gorgeous on entry, brimming with elegance in its finely delineated fruit notes that lead with blackberry, and black cherry morphing into tangy red fruit and currants. Featherweight fine-grained tannins are almost powdery; a wealth of savoury mineral character floods the mid-palate like liquified granite. And it keeps giving, revealing wild herbs, sagebrush, bittersweet chocolate and brown spices. One of the more elegant 2019 Napa Cabs in this concentrated, dark-fruited vintage, with beautiful structure and a freshness that remains present in every single sip. (JC)” (09/2022)

“Even better than the stunning 2018, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon evokes darker-skinned berries, hinting at black cherries and cassis, while still showing the vineyard's earthy-loamy side. It's a full-bodied, plush wine, with great concentration, a rich, velvety texture and a long, elegant finish that seems to linger for several minutes. Wow! (JC)” (01/2024)

“Even better, yet certainly in the same mold as the 2014, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon VHR is straight-up heavenly stuff, and I suspect it will warrant another point in 5-7 years. This deep purple-hued effort has a great nose of cassis, redcurrants, dried herbs, and tobacco, with some background chocolaty oak. Deep, full-bodied, concentrated, and mouth-filling, it has a seamless texture, velvety tannins, and the balance to evolve for over two decades. It doesn’t get much more classic Oakville.” (02/2023)

“Deep purple-black colored, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon slowly unfurls, revealing a gregariously fruity personality of juicy blueberries and fresh black cherries to start. With patience and swirling, a core of black currant jelly, violets, cracked black pepper, eucalyptus, and tilled soil emerges. Full-bodied, firm, and impressively structured, the palate has super-ripe, fine-grained tannins and bags of black fruits sparked by floral and mineral nuances, finishing with epic length and energy. (LPB)” (08/2022)

“The 2019 Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is absolutely stunning. It instantly begins with incredibly perfumed aromatics of ripe black currants, fresh blackberries and even blueberries, which are beautifully woven together with exotic spices, fresh violets, sage as well as gravel accents that all come together and burst from the glass. On the palate this is every bit as captivating, full-bodied and concentrated, yet displaying remarkable overall balance. It continues to impress with its wonderful purity and depth, as plush layers of ripe dark fruits, exotic spices and violets all continue to build and expand seamlessly through the long, opulent finish. The 2019 is a simply majestic wine from VHR and clearly amongst the most compelling wines from this fabulous vintage. While this is extremely impressive and flat-out delicious right now, this wine also has a proven track record of aging brilliantly. (JD)” (06/2022)

“Flowers and brambleberries on the nose, together with lavender and sandalwood. Very perfumed. Full-bodied, yet very tight and polished, with gentle, graceful sensibility that shows through clearly and subtly. The tannins are soft and focused, providing finesse and a fine texture that runs the length of the wine. Very attractive now, but even better in 2025.” (09/2022)

“The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon tastes like a barrel sample, such is its purity of fruit and lushness! It is perhaps the most opulent wine ever made here and therefore likely to require a number of years before it is even close to being ready to drink. Primary fruit and plush contours are front and center. The 2019 needs time to come together, and yet its sheer beauty is impossible to miss. The 2019 is a real head-turner, that much is clear. (AG) 98+” (03/2022)

“This red is beautifully rich and supple in red fruit, polished tannin and a depth of layered complexity. It is broad and generous, with complexity to age and fresh, lasting acidity that illuminates and energizes the palate. Enjoy from 2029–2039. *Cellar Selection* (VB)” (07/2022)

“Savoury and lively with real lift. Very classy. Quite complex and layered. Really zesty yet with great, pure fruit concentration. 18+/20 points (JR)” (05/2023)