2009 Napa Valley, Sonoma, and coastal Tuscany Red Horizontal

2009 Darioush "Caravan" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Caravan is proprietor Darioush Khaledi's more forward, earlier-drinking Cabernet, using all estate fruit from the Darioush vineyards in Napa Valley. Small amounts of Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec add more bright fruit and complexity to this approachable but sophisticated bottling. There's plenty of black cherry, anise and plum, with accents of bittersweet cocoa and cherry cola that linger on the finish with smooth tannins and cedar spicy.

2009 Faust Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

From the proprietor of Quintessa, Faust Cabernet represents diverse Napa terroirs of both mountain and valley fruit. This blend featuring 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Malbec spent 19 months in 30% new French oak. The wine exhibits cherry and raspberry fruit on the nose with a perfume of violets. Blackberry, cassis, coffee, and dark chocolate on the palate is enrobed by a rich texture. The dark fruit drives a nuanced finish.

2009 Clos du Val "Three Graces" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend

2009 Donna Olimpia 1898 Tageto Rosso Costa Toscana IGT

Donna Olimpia 1898 sits in the heart of Bolgheri, a coastal stretch of Tuscany that helped redefine modern Italian wine. The estate traces back to 1898, named for Olimpia Alliata, though its current identity took shape when Guido Folonari revitalized the property in the early 2000s, building a focused, quality-driven winery with vineyards planted around a single contiguous site. About 45 hectares are under vine, dedicated to the classic Bolgheri palette of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Syrah, alongside some white varieties. Farming emphasizes balance and clean fruit, with fermentation in temperature-controlled tanks and élevage in French oak to shape polished, structured wines that reflect the region’s warm, maritime character.

2009 Fotinos Brothers Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

A small, family-run Napa Valley project with roots stretching back to Lefkada, Greece, Fotinos Brothers blends old-world heritage with Carneros farming that began in 1969 when the family planted former orchard land to vines. Their wines come from estate fruit and carefully managed Napa Valley sources, produced in limited quantities with a hands-on approach. The 2009 vintage shows the house style clearly, combining structured ripeness with polish, shaped by meticulous vineyard work and extended élevage, including French oak aging for Cabernet releases. The result is a poised, classically styled Napa wine with depth, integration, and a sense of craft that reflects generations of experience rather than scale.

2009 Maier Family "Meritage" Sonoma County Bordeaux Blend

The Maier Family winery is a small, family-owned Sonoma producer focused on Bordeaux-inspired blends crafted from carefully selected vineyard sites throughout Sonoma County. Their “Meritage” bottling reflects the tradition of blending classic Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot to create a wine that emphasizes balance and complexity rather than any single grape variety. Sourced from Sonoma’s diverse mix of hillside and valley-floor vineyards, where maritime influences, warm afternoons, and varied alluvial soils contribute both richness and structure, the wine captures the elegance and versatility that have made Sonoma County a compelling home for Bordeaux-style blends.