I loved the 2010 Proprietary Red, a regal, majestic, First Growth-like effort from this team. Still deep ruby hued, it has quintessential Sloan aromatics of darker, black fruits, graphite, cassis, and black olives, with a subtle bloody, marine-like character. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a pure, layered, graceful mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, no hard edges, and incredible length on the finish. It offers everything you could want: complexity, nuance, depth, and richness. It's just now at the early stages of its prime drinking window and has another two decades ahead of it.

The 2010 Sloan may ultimately eclipse the 2009 as it appears to have greater longevity. Dense blackberry, cedar, lead pencil shavings, cassis, espresso, white chocolate and forest floor notes are incredibly complex and inviting. Full-bodied and virtually perfect in all senses with flawlessly integrated acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood, this is a tour de force and one of the superstars of the vintage. It, too, can be drunk now or cellared for 30+ years. Original proprietor Stuart Sloan sold this property to the Hong Kong-based Pan family, and the affable Jenny Pan is now in charge. The winemaker continues to be Martha McClellan and the consultant is Michel Rolland. From this fabulous site, the Pans produced a 2009 and 2010 that are about as spectacular as these Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines can be. They are normally around 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a tiny percentage of Petit Verdot. www.sloanestate.com

The 2010 Proprietary Red is very deep garnet colored with a hint of purple. It offers up wonderfully bold, expressive notes of crème de cassis, black cherry compote and mincemeat pie with wafts of bay leaves, incense, Chinese five spice and hoisin plus wafts of chargrill and yeast extract. Full-bodied, rich and opulent, the palate is laden with layer upon layer of exotic spice-laced black fruits with a firm yet plush frame and very long finish with some licorice notes coming through.

The 2010 Sloan Estate could easily be mistaken for a top-flight Left Bank red. Graphite, pencil shavings, spice box, cassis and violets are some of the many nuances that take shape in the glass as the 2010 begins to open up. The 2010 is a totally classy, elegant Sloan Estate that impresses for its focus, delineation and pure pedigree. Next to the other top-flight wines of the year, the 2010 Sloan Estate comes across as a bit restrained and quite classic in style. I will not be surprised if the wine merits a higher score once it has been bottled. Today the 2010 is striking and appears to be set to join the truly great wines that have emerged over the last decade from this pristine hillside site in Rutherford. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2030. Sloan Estate remains one of the most distinctive wines in Napa Valley. A meticulous approach to farming and small-lot fermentations in oak are some of the many quality-driven decisions that inform winemaker Martha McClellan’s approach in crafting these sumptuous wines. It will be interesting to see the direction the Pan family takes in moving the estate forward. [email protected]