2016 Tychson Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon. This Colgin property, not the main one up on Pritchard Hill, belonged to the first woman to run a winery in Napa Valley, in the 19th century. Near Freemark Abbey on an east-facing 2.5-ha slope at the foot of Spring Mountain and very well drained. Some obsidian. Where Ann Colgin and Joe Wender live. Bought in 1996. First vintage 2000. Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon. Big diurnal temperature variation here. It’s routinely picked in October. They work with a vineyard management company, the same dedicated crews as Pritchard Hill. Tychson Hill is too small to have its own full time. Lots of cold air here. Fiery, rather tarry nose. Tastes warmer than the Pritchard Hill counterpart. Quite aromatic. Lively and fresh on the finish even though the tannins are very ripe. Quite racy. Rather schizophrenic in its ripeness and freshness. (JR)

This is really ethereal with blackberries, hazelnuts, fresh flowers and chocolate. Full body and a fine, horizontal mouthfeel. So classic and extraordinary. Great finish. Better after 2022, but hard not to drink this now.

This is a monumental lineup from what is undeniably one of the greatest producers in the world today, and there are three perfect wines from this estate. Looking first at the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tychson Hill, which comes from a tiny, cooler, north facing vineyard in St. Helena that was originally planted in 1881 by Josephine Tychson, it’s 95% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, bottled in May of this year. Its saturated purple color is followed by a sensational perfume of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, graphite, and hints of licorice. This gives way to a full-bodied, concentrated, powerful wine that has beautiful mid-palate depth and concentration, an utter seamlessness, elegance, and balance that’s hard to describe, awesome purity of fruit, and a finish that won’t quit. This is Napa Valley Cabernet at its finest and one of the great Cabernet Sauvignons of the past century. Hide bottles for 4-5 years, a decade if you can, and it will keep for 30-40 years.