Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Promontory has a wonderfully fragrant nose of baked blackberries, plum preserves and black currant pastilles with an undercurrent of star anise, violets, espresso and tilled earth. Medium to full-bodied, it is soft-spoken and elegantly styled in the mouth, featuring skillfully managed, grainy tannins and bags of juicy black fruits, finishing long, earthy and remarkably energetic. This is certainly among the most profound of the 2017 Napa Cabernets and for followers of this vineyard, not one to be missed.

The 2017 Promontory is without question one of the wines of the year. In 2017, Promontory has a bit more textural richness and volume than is often the case, which is a reflection of the warm year. That extra kick of fruit will make it easier to drink young than some of the surrounding vintages. Bright red berry fruit, chalk, white pepper, cedar, tobacco and savory herbs give the 2017 bright top notes to play off its natural intensity. This is such a captivating wine.