| Vintage | Napa | Paso Robles | Santa Barbara | Sonoma | Drink Window | Description | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vintage2022 | NapaNA | Paso Robles91–94 | Santa Barbara91–94 | SonomaNA | Drink WindowNYR | DescriptionA hot growing season saw a triple-digit heat wave in early September, but cooler weather followed | |||
| DescriptionA hot growing season saw a triple-digit heat wave in early September, but cooler weather followed | |||||||||
| Vintage2021 | Napa92 | Paso Robles94 | Santa Barbara93 | Sonoma92 | Drink WindowDrink or hold | DescriptionDry summer was seasonably warm, with weather cooling after a heat spike near Memorial Day, allowing the grapes time to fully mature | |||
| DescriptionDry summer was seasonably warm, with weather cooling after a heat spike near Memorial Day, allowing the grapes time to fully mature | |||||||||
| Vintage2020 | Napa84 | Paso Robles92 | Santa Barbara92 | Sonoma84 | Drink WindowDrink or hold | DescriptionVines were stressed by a hot, dry summer, while wildfires throughout California raised concerns about smoke taint | |||
| DescriptionVines were stressed by a hot, dry summer, while wildfires throughout California raised concerns about smoke taint | |||||||||
| Vintage2019 | Napa92 | Paso Robles95 | Santa Barbara95 | Sonoma92 | Drink WindowDrink or hold | DescriptionWarm but extended growing season produced rich wines with polished tannins; best in the Central Coast | |||
| DescriptionWarm but extended growing season produced rich wines with polished tannins; best in the Central Coast | |||||||||
| Vintage2018 | Napa92 | Paso Robles94 | Santa Barbara94 | Sonoma92 | Drink WindowDrink or hold | DescriptionA goldilocks vintage with a flawless growing season that allowed winemakers to craft impressive wines | |||
| DescriptionA goldilocks vintage with a flawless growing season that allowed winemakers to craft impressive wines | |||||||||
| Vintage2017 | Napa90 | Paso Robles90 | Santa Barbara90 | Sonoma89 | Drink WindowDrink or hold | DescriptionDramatic weather conditions, from floods to heat waves to wildfires, add up to a variable and challenging vintage | |||
| DescriptionDramatic weather conditions, from floods to heat waves to wildfires, add up to a variable and challenging vintage | |||||||||
| Vintage2016 | Napa94 | Paso Robles94 | Santa Barbara92 | Sonoma93 | Drink WindowDrink or hold | DescriptionA textbook vintage with nearly ideal growing conditions throughout the year | |||
| DescriptionA textbook vintage with nearly ideal growing conditions throughout the year | |||||||||
| Vintage2015 | Napa94 | Paso Robles94 | Santa Barbara91 | Sonoma94 | Drink WindowDrink or hold | DescriptionChallenged by a warm season marked by heat spikes, winemakers managed to retain elegance and aromatics | |||
| DescriptionChallenged by a warm season marked by heat spikes, winemakers managed to retain elegance and aromatics | |||||||||
| Vintage2014 | Napa93 | Paso Robles92 | Santa Barbara92 | Sonoma94 | Drink WindowDrink or hold | DescriptionSimilar to the 2013s, but more ripe, more full-bodied and in some regions more tannic | |||
| DescriptionSimilar to the 2013s, but more ripe, more full-bodied and in some regions more tannic | |||||||||
| Vintage2013 | Napa94 | Paso Robles94 | Santa Barbara92 | Sonoma93 | Drink WindowDrink or hold | DescriptionNearly ideal growing season with lots of sunshine but few heat spikes; wines are expressive early but show aging potential | |||
| DescriptionNearly ideal growing season with lots of sunshine but few heat spikes; wines are expressive early but show aging potential | |||||||||
| Vintage2012 | Napa93 | Paso Robles93 | Santa Barbara88 | Sonoma92 | Drink WindowDrink or hold | DescriptionRecord-sized crop with firmly tannic wines and some real beauties; should reward time in the cellar | |||
| DescriptionRecord-sized crop with firmly tannic wines and some real beauties; should reward time in the cellar | |||||||||
| Vintage2011 | Napa87 | Paso Robles87 | Santa Barbara87 | Sonoma87 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionA damp, cool year led to mixed results. Off the pace of best years, yet there are pockets of success; early drinkers | |||
| DescriptionA damp, cool year led to mixed results. Off the pace of best years, yet there are pockets of success; early drinkers | |||||||||
| Vintage2010 | Napa93 | Paso Robles97 | Santa Barbara87 | Sonoma93 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionA cool, late harvest, but amazingly ripe and full-bodied wines | |||
| DescriptionA cool, late harvest, but amazingly ripe and full-bodied wines | |||||||||
| Vintage2009 | Napa92 | Paso Robles95 | Santa Barbara92 | Sonoma93 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionFabulous wines throughout despite a challenging season; the ripeness is there, even if it came late | |||
| DescriptionFabulous wines throughout despite a challenging season; the ripeness is there, even if it came late | |||||||||
| Vintage2008 | Napa91 | Paso Robles98 | Santa Barbara91 | Sonoma91 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionA tough start ended with glorious wines statewide, rivaling 2007 for complexity, depth and finesse | |||
| DescriptionA tough start ended with glorious wines statewide, rivaling 2007 for complexity, depth and finesse | |||||||||
| Vintage2007 | Napa95 | Paso Robles96 | Santa Barbara95 | Sonoma92 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionTremendous quality and uncommon complexity statewide; the best on record, along with 2009 and 2006 | |||
| DescriptionTremendous quality and uncommon complexity statewide; the best on record, along with 2009 and 2006 | |||||||||
| Vintage2006 | Napa93 | Paso Robles92 | Santa Barbara94 | Sonoma95 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionA golden vintage, fabulous acoss all regions, offering great diversity of styles | |||
| DescriptionA golden vintage, fabulous acoss all regions, offering great diversity of styles | |||||||||
| Vintage2005 | Napa92 | Paso Robles86 | Santa Barbara89 | Sonoma87 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionIntense, structured, high-quality wines | |||
| DescriptionIntense, structured, high-quality wines | |||||||||
| Vintage2004 | Napa97 | Paso Robles89 | Santa Barbara86 | Sonoma89 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionA superb vintage, particularly in Napa; concentrated, intense and complex wines | |||
| DescriptionA superb vintage, particularly in Napa; concentrated, intense and complex wines | |||||||||
| Vintage2003 | Napa90 | Paso Robles83 | Santa Barbara89 | Sonoma90 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionDark, intense, structured and concentrated | |||
| DescriptionDark, intense, structured and concentrated | |||||||||
| Vintage2002 | Napa96 | Paso Robles84 | Santa Barbara85 | Sonoma89 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionTremendous in Napa and Sonoma; dark, rich and plush | |||
| DescriptionTremendous in Napa and Sonoma; dark, rich and plush | |||||||||
| Vintage2001 | Napa97 | Paso Robles89 | Santa Barbara87 | Sonoma89 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionSolid in all regions, with an edge to Napa; intense and concentrated wines | |||
| DescriptionSolid in all regions, with an edge to Napa; intense and concentrated wines | |||||||||
| Vintage2000 | Napa93 | Paso Robles82 | Santa Barbara85 | Sonoma87 | Drink WindowDrink | DescriptionStrong in Napa, showing that Syrah doesn't always run with Cabernet | |||
| DescriptionStrong in Napa, showing that Syrah doesn't always run with Cabernet | |||||||||
Vintage ratings: 95-100, classic; 90-94, outstanding; 85-89, very good; 80-84, good; 75-79, mediocre; 50-74, not recommended
A score range indicates preliminary analysis based on barrel samples and/or a limited sampling; many wines of the vintage not yet reviewed.
Drinkability: "NYR" means the vintage has not yet been released; "drink" means most of the wines of the vintage are ready to drink; "hold" means most of the ageworthy wines have yet to fully mature; "past peak" means most of the wines are declining rather than improving.
SOURCE: WINE SPECTATOR


 
                                 
                                     
         
                     
        