95
points
Pine Ridge 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (Howell Mountain)
-
$80
Huge, just tremendous and authoritative. Aged in new, high-toast oak for 17 months, it bursts with smoky char and caramelized vanilla, while the underlying fruit explodes with spicy plum, wild blackberry marmalade and chocolate. The tannins are very strong, but ripely sweet and finely meshed. A guaranteed cellar candidate, it should slowly improve for a decade, and…
— S.H.
(12/31/2006)
94
points
Pine Ridge 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (Rutherford)
-
$40
I had to double-check the price on this brilliant wine because it’s much less than other Napa Cabs. It’s a fat, sweet, fleshy wine, instantly appealing for its delicious blackberry, blackstrap molasses, cherry, violet and sweet oak flavors, yet it’s a cellar guarantee. The tannins are finely ground and wonderfully ripe, giving the wine a firm lushness that lasts…
— S.H.
(12/15/2006)
92
points
Pine Ridge 2002 Onyx Red (Napa Valley)
-
$55
One of the few California Bordeaux reds that’s predominantly Malbec, this dramatic young wine startles with its richness and complexity. It offer lush, ripe flavors of black currants, cocoa, tobacco and new oak, and the tannins are as good as Napa gets, soft and luxurious. Drink sooner rather than later.
— S.H.
(9/1/2006)