Our 11th Year !

$350

VM 93 (6/2006): Deep ruby-red. Exotic aromas of black raspberry, mocha and caramel. Sweet, lush flavors of cherry and menthol. Wonderfully pliant and fleshy for a 2003. Finishes firmly tannic and long, with compelling sweetness.

WA 92 (12/2006): The classic, structured 2003 Melbury offers beautiful blueberry, blackberry, and cassis notes interwoven with notions of spring flowers and espresso. This pure, full-bodied, opulent, silky 2003 should age for 10-15 years.

WS 90 (11/2006): Rich and concentrated, with tiers of currant, blackberry and black cherry that run deep and pure, gaining momentum midpalate and ending with a strong, intense, focused finish. Shows a trace of heat, but delivers lots of enticing flavors. Best from 2007 through 2013. 700 cases made.

2004

$395

WS 97 (11/2007): Fresh black cherry, currant and plum aromas are pure and riveting. Firm, rich and polished, with hints of nutmeg, rose petal and wild berry that are deep and complex. Intense, focused and concentrated, this is beautifully balanced, deep and persistent, with ripe, integrated tannins. Drink now through 2018. 573 cases made.

WA 95 (12/2007): Readers looking for a fruit-forward vintage should check out the 2004 Melbury. A sensational wine with an inky bluish/purple color, fabulous blueberry and blackberry fruit with hints of lead pencil, acacia flower, pain grille, and spice, the tannins are supple and the wine exuberant, flamboyant, ripe, rich, and long. This is sensational stuff that can be drunk now or cellared for 20-25 years.

VM 92 (6/2007): Good ruby-red. Black raspberry, mocha and smoky oak on the confectionery nose. Quite sweet in the mouth but youthfully tight today, with red fruit and licorice flavors dominating. This has a rather Graves-like mouthfeel. Here the tannins come across as more obvious and less fine than those of the 2005 example.

2005

$375

WA 94 (12/2008): The 2005 Melbury offers lovely aromas of cedar, creme de cassis, licorice, and smoked/roasted herbs as well as good underlying acidity, full-bodied power, and stunning concentration, but also unmistakable elegance and harmony. While these are all big wines, there is an attractive European tannic profile to the 2005 Melbury. Although accessible now, 3-5 years of bottle age will be beneficial, and it should improve for 20-25 years.

VM 93 (6/2008): Very sexy nose combines black raspberry, graphite, melted tar and smoke, plus a whiff of sweet butter. Lush, fleshy and sweet, with perfectly integrated, ripe acidity framing and lifting the middle palate. As bright as this is, the 2005 vintage has also brought uncommon breadth and sweetness.

WS 90 (10/2008): Well-centered, showing ripe, spicy plum, black cherry and currant flavors, with firm, integrated tannins and good length, tightening up on the finish. To be released spring 2009. Best from 2011 through 2017. 785 cases made.

2007

$450

WA 97 (12/2010): Out of bottle, the 2007 Melbury is even more impressive than it was from barrel. Aromas of cedarwood, barbecue spice, licorice, spring flowers, black currants and sweet kirsch jump from the glass of this dense purple-colored wine. A full-bodied texture, wonderful opulence, sweet velvety tannins and an extraordinary integration of all its component parts make for a prodigious Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 25-30+ years.

VM 94+ (6/2010): Bright ruby. Ripe aromas of sweet plum and smoky tobacco. Very intensely flavored and juicy, with firm acidity and strong minerality giving grip to the smoky red fruit flavors. This, too, boasts terrific definition. Tightened up considerably in the glass, giving the same tightly coiled impression as the 2006 version. I suspect this brisk, structured wine will shortly shut down in the bottle.

WS 92 (10/2010): Firm, intense and vibrant, with dense, vivid wild berry, raspberry and blackberry fruit that's ripe, tight and framed by toasty, cedary oak flavors. Full-bodied, ending with chewy tannins, this needs both time and aeration. The most reserved of the Bond wines. To be released spring 2011. Best from 2012 through 2022. 473 cases made.

2008

$350

JS 93 (6/2011): I really love this now. Blueberry and dark chocolate and minerals on the nose. Full and super fine with wonderfully silky tannins with a long finish. Intense fruit. Meat undertones as well.

WS 93 (11/2011): Very rich and refined, chunky and tannic, this full-bodied red offers a pretty core of ripe wild berry and black cherry flavors, with cedar, tobacco, sage and dried currant notes, firming and turning chewy. Best from 2013 through 2024. 468 cases made.

VM 93 (6/2011): Good deep red. Dark raspberry, redcurrant, licorice, tobacco and minerals on the nose. Juicy, bright and supple, with a distinctly airy texture and lovely inner-mouth verve. Not especially large-scaled but pliant, classy and light on its feet. Aromatic and claret-like wine, with firm but ripe tannins and noteworthy length.

WA 91-93 (12/2011): The 2008 Melbury flows across the palate with layers of dark sensual fruit, spices, licorice, leather and tobacco. Clean veins of minerality frame the fruit beautifully through to the finish. Floral notes add an element of brightness on the close. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.

2009

Melbury Proprietary Blend (1.5 L)

$400

VM 94 (12/2012): The estate's 2009 Proprietary Blend Melbury presents an intriguing combination of pure sensuality in its aromas and flavors, but backed up by serious tannins. Dark raspberry jam, flowers, sweet spices and crushed rocks all come to life in this deeply expressive, resonant wine. Sweet floral notes reappear on the finish, adding lift and perfume. In 2009, the Melbury is dazzling. It is also one of the more delicate wines in the lineup

VM 94 (5/2012): Good deep ruby-red. Cool, minerally nose is rather subdued today. Quite backward and unforthcoming, but already showing the sweetness of the vintage. Lovely delicacy of texture here, but not yet showing this bottling's typical early perfume. Most impressive today on the rising, youthful, very pure back end.

WS 93 (10/2012): Firmly tannic, with gutsy earth-laced tannins and a generous mix of red and black licorice notes. Builds momentum and fans out on the finish, where this reveals more nuances of detailed flavor. Best from 2014 through 2028. 490 cases made.

2014

$1,295

WA 96+ (10/2017): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Melbury is profoundly scented of crushed plums, black cherries and cassis with hints of dark chocolate, black pepper, black soil and licorice plus a hint of iron ore. Full-bodied, rich and earthy in the mouth, it has a lovely fine-grained but firm backbone with plenty of freshness, finishing long and peppery.

JD 95 (12/2017): The 2014 Melbury comes from a site just north of Lake Hennessey that consists of unique, oceanic and clay soils. It’s a pretty, perfumed, seamless beauty offering loads of black cherry and cassis fruit, hints of chocolate and earth, medium to full-bodied richness, no hard edges, and beautiful tannin. Drink it over the coming 15-20 years.

VM 95 (1/2018): The 2014 Melbury is bright, perfumed and wonderfully lifted in the glass. Soft, silky tannins add to the wine's considerable appeal. Medium in body and gracious, the 2014 is absolutely exquisite today. Sweet red cherry, plum, rose petal and mint grace the supple finish. This is a super-refined wine from BOND. Antonio Galloni.

2003

$375

WA 93 (12/2006): Bond’s new baby, Pluribus, is primarily all Cabernet Sauvignon from a vineyard planted high on Spring Mountain (at a 900 foot elevation). As one might expect, the 2003 Pluribus exhibits an inky/blue/purple color in addition to a beautiful bouquet of blueberries, violets, and crushed rocks. Pure, rich, and streamlined, with blue and black fruit flavors that linger on the palate, this distinctive red should drink well for 15 or more years.

2003

$395

2004

$375

WS 96 (10/2007): A rich, opulent, fleshy style, brimming with ripe black cherry, wild berry and currant flavors that are supple and well-focused, keeping the fruit well-centered and ending with ripe tannins that have a nice earthy, cedary edge. There's wonderful length on the finish. Best from 2009 through 2018. 630 cases made.

WA 95 (12/2007): The newest wine, Pluribus, will give just about any vineyard on Spring Mountain a run for its money. The 2004 Pluribus has a dense purple color and an elegant, sweet nose of creme de cassis intermixed with some camphor, graphite, and a hint of blueberry (or is it very ripe raspberries?). Quite opulent, full-bodied, but with good underlying acidity, this wine is fresh and remarkably light on its feet for a wine of such enormous intensity and richness. These efforts are all brilliantly executed wines from obviously fabulous sites.

VM 94 (6/2007): Saturated deep ruby. Reticent but pure aromas of black raspberry, cassis, licorice and minerals. A major mouthful of wine but ultimately less dense and sweet than the 2005. Sound acidity gives the fruit a racy quality and imbues the wine with energy. Finishes with huge, broad, chocolatey tannins.

2005

$400

WA 96 (12/2008): The impressive, dense purple-colored 2005 E Pluribus offers up aromas of spring flowers, camphor, incense, crushed rocks, graphite, and blueberry as well as blackberry liqueur. Stylistically, it is closest to the Melbury (even though that vineyard is on the other side of Napa Valley). This beauty should be at its peak between 2011-2030+.

VM 95+ (6/2008): Full, deep ruby. Stunning aromas of black raspberry, licorice and rocky minerality. A wine of Outstanding richness and depth of flavor, with its power leavened by an almost magically creamy, pliant texture. Last year, winemaker Bob Levy told me that he fermented this wine in barrel to build up its middle palate while limiting extraction of tannins, as these vines from halfway up Spring Mountain could normally be expected to yield a very powerful, tannic style of wine. Based on this sample, his approach has worked wonders, as this wine is way suave for a cabernet-based wine from this area. The dark fruit and mineral flavors really spread out to saturate the palate on the extremely long aftertaste. As sexy as this is now, it's likely to evolve positively for a couple of decades.

WS 92 (10/2008): Packs in lots of rich, supple layers of flavor, built around fleshy currant, black cherry, plum and wild berry fruit, shaded by creamy, toasty oak. The vibrancy and concentration give this a long, persistent finish. The tannins have a slight ragged edge. To be released spring 2009. Best from 2010 through 2017. 715 cases made.

2007

$475

WA 98+ (12/2010): The 2007 Pluribus (the highest elevation vineyard of all these parcels) exhibits tell-tale Spring Mountain characteristics of acacia (or is it violets?) flowers interwoven with blueberry liqueur, black raspberries, cassis and crushed rocks. A wine of great intensity and full-bodied power yet with a freshness and delineation that are remarkable, this stunning wine should drink well for 25-30 years.

WS 97 (10/2010): Wonderful aromatics lead to a rich, layered mix of spicy currant, blackberry, wild berry and currant flavors that are full-bodied, intense, dense and concentrated, slow to reveal pleasing earth, black licorice, graphite and roasted herb. The tannins give the flavors great traction. To be released spring 2011. Best from 2012 through 2024. 566 cases made.

VM 93+ (6/2010): from a knoll facing southeast and northeast about 1,200 up Spring Mountain Full medium ruby. Extremely backward nose hints at dark fruits, fresh herbs and tomato leaf. The least velvety of these wines on the palate, and the most herbal today, with primary fruits in the deep background. Intriguing notes of mint and humus emerge with aeration. This powerful wine has a deep sweetness but its very firm-edged tannins really grip the teeth and will need time to come into harmony. Seems less dense and superripe than the 2006 example but may ultimately prove to be more elegant. The odd man out in the line-up today owing to its harder tannins.

2008

$400

WA 95 (12/2011): The 2008 Pluribus is a gorgeous wine laced with black fruit, menthol, minerals, spices and licorice. It shows fabulous density and richness through to the finish. This is a very typical Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.

VM 94+ (6/2011): Good deep red-ruby. Brooding aromas of black cherry, minerals, crushed stone and menthol. Thick on entry, then bracing and closed in the middle, conveying an impression of brisk energy to its black fruit, licorice, floral and mineral flavors. The wine's substantial tannic clout calls for extended cellaring. Incidentally, I had the pleasure of retasting the superb 2007 offerings from Bond, and found myself scoring most of them even higher than I did in Issue 150--not surprising as I generally taste the new Bond vintages just a month after they've been bottled.

WS 93 (11/2011): Offers a mix of mocha, loamy earth, espresso, dried currant, blueberry, wild berry and cedary sage-charcoal notes. Full-bodied and drying, complex and concentrated. Best from 2012 through 2022. 487 cases made.

JS 92 (6/2011): Eucalyptus and mint and spices with dark fruits. Hints of wood too. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit. Thick and dense. Very soft and juicy. Very approachable. This has a little more Merlot than normal, making it very approachable.

2009

$500

VM 97 (12/2012): The 2009 Proprietary Blend Pluribus boasts stunning concentration, depth and power. Tar, incense, graphite, plums and grilled herbs all flow from this dark, sumptuous Cabernet Sauvignon. The balance of fruit, tannin and acidity is masterful. The Pluribus is always the most intense of the BOND wines. It can at times be a bit of a brute, but the 2009 is as refined as it gets. There is no shortage of class and integrity here. Hints of smoke, tar and juniper berries add the final layers of complexity. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2039.

VM 96+ (5/2012): Flamboyantly mineral aromas and flavors of cassis, black cherry, licorice, violet and exotic herbs. Large-scaled, creamy and deep; the biggest and chewiest of this set of 2009s, but with the brooding energy to leaven its lush texture. Finishes classically dry and serious, with big but fully ripe tannins that reach the front teeth. Usually powerful in a Leoville-Las Cases way, the 2009 Pluribus is remarkably harmonious from the start. Winemaker Cory Empting notes that a portion of this fruit was picked after the heavy mid-October rain, and that some of this material did not make the final blend. (I should note that my recent retaste of the 2008 Pluribus was even more impressive than the bottle I tried a year ago. This latest sample had gained in pliancy and breadth but remains extremely young, with the acid spine and tannic clout for a long evolution in bottle. I rated the wine 95(+?) in March.)

WS 96 (10/2012): An amazing wine, complex and elegant, with a pure, rich, spicy mix of dark berry, plum and black cherry flavors. Supple and harmonious, elegant and persistent. Drink now through 2028. 420 cases made.

2012

$400

JS 98 (7/2015): This is so muscular and juicy with fascinating aromas of hot asphalt, tea leaf, autumn leaf, fresh leather and dark fruits. It’s full-bodied and strong yet pure and handsome. Manly. Great texture. Needs at least five to six years to soften. The best Pluribus ever?

WA 95+ (10/2015): From a 7-acre parcel on Spring Mountain, the 2012 Pluribus Proprietary Red Wine exhibits the white flowers (acacia?), blueberry and black raspberry fruit that comes from this high elevation site. It is full-bodied but very tannic, backward, coiled and relatively tight, behaving in that sense more like a 2013 than a 2012. This wine is set for a long life of 30+ years. Forget it for another 4 or 5 years, then consume it over the following three decades.

VM 95+ (10/2015): The 2012 Pluribus has softened considerably over the last year. White pepper, cranberry, chalk, blood orange and spices are some of the signatures. Precise and finely sculpted, the 2012 is all about finesse. There is plenty to like here. Antonio Galloni.

WS 92 (11/2015): Notes of gravelly earth, graphite and riverbed pebbles give this a distinctive, stony mouthfeel. Ends chewy, with mocha, dark berry, plum, road tar and espresso flavors. Should improve with short-term cellaring. To be released spring 2016. Best from 2017 through 2030. 570 cases made.

2014

$500

JD 98 (12/2017): The gem of the 2014s is the 2014 Pluribus which comes from a 7-acre site on Spring Mountain. This incredible wine offers a full-bodied, seamless, perfectly balanced profile as well as heavenly notes of black and blue fruits, white chocolate, licorice. With a world class texture, fine, fine tannin, and a great finish, it’s a tour de force in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that’s as good as anything out there.

WA 97+ (10/2017): Very deep purple-black colored, the 2014 Pluribus offers up notions of crushed black plums, black currant cordial and pencil shavings over a meaty core of chargrill and beef drippings plus hints of Chinese five spice and underbrush. Full-bodied and firmly framed with chewy tannins and a lively backbone, it features plenty of earthy and savory layers, finishing long and minerally.

VM 97 (11/2017): The 2014 Pluribus is super-refined, sexy and polished. Bright floral notes, blueberry jam, spice, mint and lavender abound in this striking, beautifully delineated Cabernet Sauvignon from Bond. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. The 2014 is an exceptional wine of sublime, enthralling beauty. Antonio Galloni.

2007

$425

WA 97 (12/2010): The 2007 Quella performed slightly better than I predicted last year. A magical combination of blueberry liqueur intermixed with crushed rock, spring flowers (violets?), earth, pen ink and burning ember leads to a full-bodied, majestically rich wine with a multilayered texture, silky tannins and a phenomenally long finish of over 50 seconds. This sensational 2007 should drink well for 25-30+ years.

WS 96 (10/2010): A tremendous effort, firm, intense, dense and concentrated, offering a wonderful mix of mineral, fresh earth, dried currant and herb, with touches of tobacco and cedar. Full-bodied, yet at points supple given its youth, but the finish sails on and on. To be released spring 2011. Best from 2013 through 2024. 476 cases made.

VM 93 (6/2010): From an uplifted river bottom rich in cobblestones, in an area behind Phelps and Heitz known as Spring Valley) Deep ruby. Superripe aromas of plum, blueberry and violet. Like liquid silk on the palate, conveying powerful early sweetness and an utterly seamless quality to its dark fruit flavors. Impressively broad wine, finishing with substantial tannins and rising length. But comes across as less complex today than the young Melbury.

2008

$395

VM 94 (6/2011): Full ruby-red color. Very ripe aromas of raspberry, licorice and menthol; this too struck me as claret-like. Sweet and refined in the mouth, already showing superb harmony to its raspberry, redcurrant and graphite flavors. Finishes with suave tannins and Outstanding length. Like the Melbury, this seems balanced to give early pleasure but should have no trouble lasting for 15 to 20 years in bottle. (Incidentally, pHs here were average in 2008 but acids a bit higher, said director of winegrowing Bob Levy, who offered the opinion that 2008 was a bit like 2005 in style.)

WS 94 (11/2011): Firm and structured, with loamy earth, mocha and espresso, this is ripe and lively, with currant, blueberry and wild berry notes that are pleasingly subtle and detailed. Even more expansive and syrupy on the finish. Best from 2012 through 2022. 502 cases made.

WA 93 (12/2011): The 2008 Quella is a dark, brooding wine loaded with super-ripe dark black fruit, smoke, tar and licorice. It is a seriously intense wine that will require bottle age. This is an especially authoritative wine from Bond. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2028.

JS 93 (6/2011): This is the third vintage from this site. Licorice and flowers and lavender aromas. Full body, with super velvety tannins and a medium finish. Lovely wood on the finish. Sandalwood undertone. Give it a year or two to come together more

2009

$350

VM 96 (12/2012): The darker, more virile side of the vintage comes through in the 2009 Proprietary Blend Quella. A dark brooding wine, the 2009 saturates the palate with black cherries, plums, smoke and incense, all in a firm, brooding style that is highly appealing. Vivid and constantly changing in the glass, the Quella impresses for its multi-dimensional personality and potential. Hints of smoke, ash and scorched earth are layered into the powerful, structured finish. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034.

VM 94+ (5/2012): (from an uplifted river bed near the Phelps winery): Good ruby-red. Nuanced aromas of blackberry, minerals, licorice and wild herbs; a bit more medicinal in character than the 2008 version. Quite closed and inexpressive following the recent bottling, but concentrated dark fruit flavors show a lovely light touch, with mineral and floral notes providing lift. Finishes with serious, toothdusting tannins that will require aging.

WS 94 (10/2012): This is perhaps the tightest of the new Bonds, nonetheless the wine offers a dense, focused core of dried berry, black licorice, crushed rock and dried herb flavors. Most impressive on the finish, where the flavors fan out. Best from 2014 through 2026. 460 cases made.

2010

$400

WA 98 (10/2013): The 2010 Quella is a candidate for perfection. From the lower foothills of Pritchard Hill, it offers up notes of charcoal, graphite, espresso and copious quantities of blueberry and black raspberry liqueur, along with distinctive minerality, a full-bodied mouthfeel, moderately high tannins, gorgeous richness and a long, moderately tannic finish. Forget it for five years and drink it over the following three decades.

JS 97 (6/2014): The sister winery to Harlan made wonderful, distinctive wines in 2010. The Quella is powerful, rich and savoury.

VM 96 (11/2013): BOND's 2010 Quella is all about texture. There is virtually no sensation of tannin whatsoever in this supple, utterly gracious Cabernet Sauvignon. Rose petals, licorice, small red berries, new leather, spices and asphalt all wrap around the juicy, explosive finish. A super-ripe, racy finish rounds things out in style. In 2010, Quella is impeccable.

VM 94+ (5/2013): Good bright ruby-red. Knockout perfume of black raspberry, violet, mocha and raspberry. Sweet, fine-grained and creamy on entry, then a bit drier and more backward on the back end. The wonderfully rising finish features substantial broad tannins but calls for patience.

WS 93 (10/2013): A deceptively subtle, understated style that holds its flavors tight to the vest. Though restrained, this nonetheless offers a lot of everything in smaller doses. Dark berry, dark chocolate, dried herb and savory underbrush notes all add up to something special. Patience required. Best from 2015 through 2028. 550 cases made.

2012

$425

WA 98 (10/2015): The 2012 Quella (from a steep 9-acre vineyard in the eastern Vaca hillsides) has an opaque purple color, a gorgeous nose of white flowers, sweet blackberry and cassis fruit, and a touch of vanilla and graphite. Full-bodied, like its siblings, with great fruit extract, terrific purity and richness, and high but velvety tannins, this wine should also benefit from another 3-5 years of cellaring and keep for 30+ years.

JS 97 (7/2015): Lots of hot stone and slate on the nose with flowers. Dark berries too. Full body, dense mouthfeel. It lasts a long time with a salty, pomace undertone. Tight and muscular. Better in 2018.

VM 94 (10/2015): The 2012 Quella has put on considerable weight over the last year. Dark cherry, plum, hard candy, mint, dark spices and new leather all blossom in the glass. The 2012 is ample and broad on the palate, with superb presence, but perhaps a touch less in the way of finesse relative to the best wines in this range. Today the Quella feels a bit heavy. Antonio Galloni.

WS 89 (11/2015): Bold and ripe, with a touch of dark berry jam, this is structured by dusty gravel nuances and earth-laced tannins. A mishmash of very ripe, intense flavors, but the raw, edgy tannins have a green, stemmy quality. Drink now through 2023. 515 cases made.

2014

Quella Proprietary Blend (1.5 L)

$425

VM 96+ (3/2018): The 2014 Quella is showing beautifully. Floral and savory overtones give the wine its energy and tension. The 2014 has really come along over the last six months. Today it is vibrant and full of life, with an understated sense of power that is compelling. The 2014 has developed very nicely since I last tasted it, but it still has room to grow. Antonio Galloni.

WA 96 (10/2017): Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Quella is scented of blackberry preserves, fruitcake and crushed rocks with hints of cigar box, dried Provence herbs and Indian spices. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm backbone of grainy tannins and great freshness lifting the black fruit and earth layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

JD 95 (12/2017): The 2014 Quella is one of the most aromatic and complex in the lineup. Coming from more seabed and volcanic soils (similar to the Melbury) and sporting a deep purple color and lifted notes of spice cake, black cherries, blueberries, violets and iron-like minerality, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, elegant, has bright acidity, and a great finish. Drink it anytime over the coming 20+ years.

2014

$1,150

2001

$500

WA 100 (6/2011): Utterly perfect, another wine that seems to have taken on a first-growth Pauillac-like character (think Mouton-Rothschild) is the 2001 St. Eden. With a remarkably perfumed nose of crushed rocks, subtle barbecue smoke, and again, cedar wood intermixed with creme de cassis and blackberry, this wine displays a phenomenally concentrated mouthfeel, full-bodied opulence, voluptuous texture, and of this trio, is certainly the closest to its apogee of full maturity. Nevertheless, it will still benefit from another 5-10 years of cellaring and keep for an additional 25-30.

VM 94 (6/2004): Full medium ruby. Currant and chocolate liqueur aromas. Superripe and almost painfully concentrated, but more serious and less confectionery today than the young 2002 sample. Slightly medicinal flavor of chocolate liqueur. This may be starting to shut down in bottle, but its uncanny concentration, noble tannins and great persistence suggest it will develop in bottle for at least 15 years.

WS 93 (10/2013): Rich and powerful, with torque to the ripe dark berry, chocolate, subtle earth and cedar flavors. A muscular yet graceful style that holds its own and promises a nice life ahead. Best from 2015 through 2025. 530 cases made.

2002

$475

WA 96 (12/2005): The inky/purple-tinged 2002 St. Eden Proprietary Red reveals notes of unlit cigar tobacco, beautiful blueberry and creme de cassis fruit, and notions of licorice, spice box, and incense. It is full-bodied, with wonderful sweetness and plumpness as well as a meaty richness that cascades over the palate with a seamlessness that must be tasted to be believed.

VM 95 (6/2005): Good medium ruby. Aromas of blueberry and blackberry liqueur, with a note of coffee; just this side of roasted. Extremely dense and sweet, combining great sucrosity with very firm but fine tannins. Superripe but balanced at an absurdly high level of richness. Complicating notes of redcurrant, tobacco, menthol, stone and leather. Finishes very long. Still a bit youthfully subdued, but extremely long on the aftertaste.

2003

$350

VM 94 (11/2017): There is plenty to admire in the 2003 St. Eden. Sensual and voluptuous in the glass, the 2003 possesses striking intensity and terrific overall balance. Mocha, smoke, tobacco, black stone fruit and leather notes are pushed forward in this sumptuous, pliant Cabernet Sauvignon. Although not especially complex, the 2003 is quite tasty. Antonio Galloni.

WA 94 (6/2013): The 2003 St. Eden comes from an 11-acre rocky knoll on the northern side of the Oakville Crossroad that consists of pure red soils. It is the most evolved and forward of these 2003 Bond wines. Lots of cedar, chocolate, roasted herb, lavender and spice box notes emerge from this complex Pauillac-like effort. Medium to full-bodied and fully mature, it is more evolved than its siblings, revealing sweet tannin as well as a spicy, earthy finish. Owners are advised to drink it over the next decade.

WS 93 (7/2013): A creamy oak overlay softens the tannins in this rich and full-bodied version, with complex anise, mocha, dark berry, subtle spice and roasted coffee notes. Drink now through 2020. 725 cases made.

2004

$395

WA 97 (12/2007): The 2004 St. Eden seems to hit all the sweet spots on my palate. A wine of great complexity, richness, and intensity, with oodles of creme de cassis fruit and plenty of roasted herbs and meatiness, with exceptional power and richness, this wine has fleshed out since I had it last year, and seems to be destined to be one of Bond’s most compelling wines, a full-bodied wine with great purity, richness, and beautifully integrated acidity, wood, and tannin. Give it 1-3 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 25 years.

VM 93 (6/2007): Ruby-red. Flamboyantly ripe aromas of currant, rocks, tobacco and chocolate. Very ripe, lush, broad and sweet, if a bit youthfully sullen. This has very good life for the year if not quite the definition of the 2005. Finishes with substantial tongue-dusting tannins.

WS 93 (11/2007): Superripe yet supple and balanced, with deep, enticing blackberry, ripe plum and wild berry fruit that's rich and concentrated, with a long, persistent finish. The tannins are firm and structured. Best from 2009 through 2015. 600 cases made.

2007

$525

WA 99 (12/2010): Not surprisingly, the 2007 St. Eden flirts with perfection. Another Pauillac look-alike, it offers up glorious aromas of cedarwood, creme de cassis, spice box, high class unsmoked cigar tobacco, roasted herbs and a hint of mocha. The complex aromas brilliantly conceal the long aging in new French oak. This compelling, singular, full-bodied, multilayered, sensational Cabernet Sauvignon can be drunk early (because of the flamboyance and unctuosity of the vintage), but promises to provide thrilling consumption in 30+ years.

VM 94+ (6/2010): Dark fruits, cola, smoke and licorice on the nose, lifted by a floral element. Then densely packed and sappy, with a strong mineral component and firm acidity giving the wine Outstanding clarity and class and contributing to the explosiveness of its very long finish. Here the tannins are currently hidden by sheer flavor. I find this more suave than the 2006 bottling at the same stage of its evolution.

WS 93 (11/2010): Ripe, juicy, vivid blackberry, black cherry, currant, sage and dusty, cedary oak form a tight core of flavors. Full-bodied, intense and expansive, gaining depth, focus, length and complexity on the lingering finish. To be released spring 2011. Best from 2013 through 2024. 406 cases made.

2008

$375

WA 94 (12/2011): The 2008 St. Eden is one of the richest, fleshiest and best-balanced of the 2008s in the Bond portfolio. Dark red fruit, flowers, minerals and spices are some of the notes that take shape in the glass. The 2008 has the mid-palate pliancy that is less evident in some of the other 2008s here. There is plenty of focus as well, especially on the long, saline finish. Tar, smoke and licorice add the final notes of complexity. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2028.

VM 93+ (6/2011): Full ruby-red. Subtle aromas of red- and blackcurrant, dried sage and nutty oak lifted by a floral topnote. Densely packed, thick and pliant but youthfully reserved, with noteworthy purity to its dark berry flavors. Finishes impressively long, with plush tannins. This youthfully backward wine will need at least several years of bottle aging. The wine's small merlot component was picked at the end of August.

WS 93 (11/2011): There's a touch of raciness in the aroma, with a sweet-sour edge to the vivid wild berry and currant notes that turn dry and chewy. Full-bodied and dense, with loamy, earthy tannins. Best from 2013 through 2023. 533 cases made.

JS 92 (6/2011): What a nose of plums and dark fruits. Black licorice too. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins, plum and toasted oak. A little hollow on the mid-palate. But it comes through nicely. Give it one to two years to come together.

2009

$350

VM 97 (12/2012): The 2009 Proprietary Blend St. Eden is simply stunning. A rich, resonant bouquet melds seamlessly into layers of fruit as the 2009 shows off its breathtaking pedigree and sheer class. There is virtually no perception of tannin in this voluptuous, beautifully balanced Cabernet Sauvignon. Freshly cut roses and a hint of cinnamon add complexity on the finish, but ultimately the St. Eden is first and foremost a wine of textural brilliance and spherical palate presence.

VM 95 (5/2012): Deep ruby-red. Aromas and flavors of dark raspberry, iron, tobacco and licorice. Densely packed but juicy too, with terrific definition for such a youthful wine. This is the Bond wine from the lowest-altitude site. Closed today but already quite sexy. Like the Quella, this is most impressive today on the palate-staining finish, where silky tannins are perfectly buffered by the wine's mid-palate stuffing. (Incidentally, I underrated the 2008 St. Eden a year ago, when the wine was extremely backward. After a full year in the bottle, it offers utterly captivating aromas of raspberry, iron, tobacco and sage, with a sweet dark fruit center, and a captivating note of red cherry on the very long, fine-grained finish. I raised my score to 95.)

WS 95 (10/2012): Openly showy, this offers an inviting mix of flavors, with rich red and black fruit, currant, cherry and pomegranate flavors that build on the finish, where the tannins are fine-grained and integrated. Best from 2014 through 2028. 410 cases made.

2012

St. Eden Proprietary Blend (1.5 L)

$400

WA 98 (10/2015): From an 11-acre vineyard just north of the Oakville corridor, the 2012 St. Eden shows gorgeous, cedary Christmas fruitcake notes, black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, spice box, earth, and almost first growth Pauillac-like cassis and lead pencil shavings. Deep, full-bodied, and fabulously concentrated, this stunner flirts with perfection. Slightly more evolved than the Quella or Melbury, this wine may be the most drinkable out of the gate of all the Bond offerings in 2012. It should continue to evolve for at least 30+ years.

JS 97 (7/2015): Beautiful fruit definition with blackberries, blueberries, chocolate and burnt orange character. Full body and round, fine powder texture plus dusty, velvety tannins. Long and gorgeous finish.

VM 95 (10/2015): The 2012 St. Eden is totally seamless and polished in the glass. Silky tannins add to an overall impression of total voluptuousness. The 2012 isn't quite as expressive as the very best years, but it is a gorgeous wine that won't require more than a few years in bottle to be at its best. Dark, smoky and scorched flavors meld into the powerful finish.

WS 93 (11/2015): Pure and graceful, with ripe, delicate red and dark berry flavors, light floral aromas and subtle oak nuances. An easy-drinking style, this is moderately tannic and should be ready to drink now or age short-term. To be released spring 2016. Drink now through 2026. 747 cases made.

2014

$1,095

JD 97 (12/2017): The Oakville release (yet it’s from a steep hillside vineyard), the 2014 St. Eden has lots of graphite and dusty earth character as well as classic dark fruits, white chocolate, and toasty oak notes. It’s a big, full-bodied, elegant, multi-dimensional beauty that has everything going for it. It’s up with the crème de la crème of the vintage.

VM 96 (3/2018): As it often is, the 2014 St. Eden is a showy, racy wine. A rush of dark red cherry, plum, mocha, espresso and grilled herbs gives the wine its opulent, flamboyant feel. Even so the St. Eden shows the natural restraint and mid-weight structure of the year. Antonio Galloni.

WA 96 (10/2017): Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2014 St. Eden offers up expressive crème de cassis, black cherry compote and blueberry pie notes with hints of cedar chest, baking spices, menthol and pencil lead. Full-bodied, tightly packed, taut and muscular, it has a solid structure of firm, grainy tannins and lovely vivacity coming through on the long, earthy finish.

2001

$395

WA 96 (2/2005): The 2001 Vecina reveals powerful espresso, mineral, black currant, and earthy characteristics presented in a full-bodied, Harlan-esque style with tremendous density, brilliant upside potential, and marvelous purity. Don’t touch this beauty for at least five years. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.

VM 93 (6/2004): Smoky, brooding aromas of roasted black raspberry, mocha and dark chocolate. Dense and huge but pure, with superb concentration and a rather restrained sweetness. Has the density and structure for extended aging, not to mention powerful, toothcoating tannins. A superb showing.

2002

$400

VM 93+ (6/2005): Good full, bright ruby. Superripe aromas of plum, black raspberry and tobacco; just this side of roasted. Dense, thick and deep, with superb depth of sweet berries complicated by minerals, sweet butter and tobacco. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and excellent length. Comes across as the least refined of these three bottlings in 2002, but boasts compelling depth and richness.

2003

Vecina Proprietary Blend (1.5 L)

$375

VM 93+ (6/2006): Good medium ruby color. Roasted black fruits and a suggestion of almost port-like ripeness on the nose. Lush, superripe and powerful, with superb density of flavor. With notes ranging from black olive to dark chocolate, this shows a wider range of ripeness than either the highly promising young 2004 or the remarkably lush and sweet 2002 (which I scored 95 on this latest occasion).

WA 93 (12/2006): More difficult to evaluate than its siblings, the 2003 Vecina, which comes from a site near Harlan Estate, is a firm, tannic, backward wine displaying a gravelly, scorched earth, hot rock, black currant, licorice, and herb-scented bouquet. In the mouth, it is tight, rich, and ruggedly constructed with medium to full body as well as a boatload of tannin. Give it 4-5 years of cellaring, and consume it over the following 15.

2003

$750

2004

$375

WA 96 (12/2007): The 2004 Vecina shares an opaque ruby/purple color, smells of wet steel, crushed rocks, spring flowers, forest floor, and plenty of cedar and chocolatey black currant and blackberry notes. A huge, spicy, complex nose is followed by a wine of impressive ripeness, full-bodied power, and a multi-dimensional mouthfeel with huge amounts of glycerin, fruit, and thickness. This is a connoisseur’s treat, and despite the fruit-forward character of the vintage, this wine ideally needs 2-4 years of bottle age and should keep for 30-35+ years.

VM 95 (6/2007): Deep, full ruby. Black raspberry, licorice, roasted tobacco and mocha on the nose. Huge, broad and compellingly deep but not especially sweet or fruity. Surprisingly sappy acidity gives the wine shape and verve. The tannins here seem sweeter than those of the young 2005, and the palate-saturating finish displays great persistence.

WS 88 (11/2007): Ripeness extends to a hint of balsamic and soy, with lifted cherry and blackberry fruit that pushes the envelope. Well-structured and persistent, though the level of ripeness will appeal to some more than others. Drink now through 2013. 627 cases made.

2005

$425

WA 96 (12/2008): The 2005 Vecina is also strutting its stuff. I can’t say it showed better than it did last year, but this wine comes close to perfection for my palate. Made in a Graves-like style, it exhibits scents of roasted herbs, espresso, scorched rocks, and liquid minerals seamlessly integrated into a full-bodied, dense wine offering a cascade of black cherries and black currants. Built for the long haul, this powerful 2005 is soft enough to be drunk early, but it will not hit its stride for at least a decade, and should age for three decades thereafter.

VM 94+ (6/2008): Good full ruby. Wild aromas of blackberry, blueberry, cassis, bitter chocolate, mocha and violet. Then chewy and brooding in the mouth, with a youthfully medicinal black cherry flavor dominating. Aeration brought some explosive blackberry, mineral and graphite flavors, but today this highly concentrated wine is locked up by its powerful tannins. This one will need a solid decade of cellaring and may ultimately merit a significantly higher score. Last year I compared this wine to a Latour or Leoville-Las Cases, and that's the same impression I got this time around.

WS 94 (10/2008): Intense and racy wild berry and blackberry fruit is flashy, tight, pure, focused and beautifully defined, picking up a nice dusty berry edge, with hints of black licorice, and offering wonderful depth, richness and persistence. To be released spring 2009. Best from 2010 through 2018. 700 cases made.

2008

$395

JS 96 (6/2011): Insane nose of porcini mushrooms and dark fruits. Forest floor too. Hints of spices. Amazing. Blackfruits too! Full-bodied, with an amazing finish. This is superb. So long and powerful. Needs another two to three years to come around.

VM 96 (6/2011): Good full ruby. Highly aromatic nose combines dark fruits, dried herbs, violet and forest floor spices. Explosively sweet and deep, with a spicy core of dark fruit flavors that fans out on the back half to saturate the palate. Finishes with strong but lush tannins and captivating violet lift. Remarkably horizontal for a cabernet-based wine from this vintage.

WA 95 (12/2011): The 2008 Vecina is a huge, strapping wine bursting with dark fruit, leather, licorice, smoke, minerals and tar. It possesses striking mid-palate depth and more than enough fruit to stand up to the firm, imposing tannins. Iron, graphite, smoke and minerals are layered into the dark, brooding finish. This is an impressive showing. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.

WS 94 (11/2011): Engagingly complex and layered, with a mix of dried currant, wild berry, forest floor, cedar, black licorice and tobacco flavors. Full-bodied and slow to unfold, gaining a sweetness on the finish. Best from 2013 through 2023. 601 cases made.

2009

$425

VM 98+ (12/2012): Bond's 2009 Proprietary Blend Vecina, from Vine Hill Ranch, is fascinating to taste after the St. Eden. While the St. Eden is round and sensual, the Vecina is all about linear power and structure. Endowed with tremendous length and persistence, the Vecina presents endless layers of dark fruit and expressive aromatics supported by considerable tension and energy.

VM 96 (5/2012): Good bright ruby. Reticent but powerful nose hints at dark berries, licorice, mint and bitter chocolate, conveying a strong impression of gravel. Plush on entry, then large-scaled and generous in the middle but with little in the way of easy sweetness. Seems riper than the preceding wines, and more refined too. The very long finish features chocolatey-rich, seamless tannins. A great showing today, but this really needs at least eight years in the cellar.

WS 93 (10/2012): Dark, rich, dry and savory, this muscular effort boasts extracted tannin-laced notes of currant, earth, cedar, mocha and tobacco. Mouthcoating through the finish, where thick tannins gain traction. Best from 2014 through 2028. 455 cases made.

2010

$415

WA 99 (10/2013): Another wine flirting with perfection is the 2010 Vecina, the nearby neighbor of Harlan Estate on the western hills overlooking the Oakville Corridor, and further south, Yountville. A Graves-like effort, it displays notes of burning embers, scorched earth, creme de cassis, and charcoal. Primordial, dense, rich, full-bodied, masculine and backward, this is another example of a wine built for half a century of cellaring. Forget it for 7-10 years and watch the pleasure unfold thereafter.

2011

$325

VM 95 (12/2014): One of the more voluptuous, ample wines in this series, the 2011 Vecina is endowed with a real sense of class. Dark red and black fruit, smoke, new leather and licorice blossom in a surprisingly rich, powerful wine for the year. This super-expressive, resonant Cabernet Sauvignon hits all the right notes. Hints of sweet tobacco, licorice and menthol add the final notes of complexity.

WA 94 (10/2014): The 2011 Vecina Proprietary Red Blend possesses Pauillac-like notes of scorched earth, new saddle leather, spice box, vanillin and blackcurrants. With great fruit, stunning depth and a distinctive earthiness, this open-knit, opulent, juicy, fleshy 2011 should drink well for 15-20 years.

JS 94 (5/2014): A solid wine with terracotta, hazelnut, cocoa-powder and berry character. Medium to full body with velvety tannins. Some austerity. Needs a year or two to soften.

VM 92+ (5/2014): Deep ruby color. Highly aromatic nose offers blackberry, medicinal black cherry and licorice. Densely packed and bright but brooding and closed in on itself; this is the 2011 Bond wine that's most affected today by the bottling. (Winemaker Corey Empting says it has totally shut down.) Finishes juicy and very long if a bit spiky today. Very hard to judge at present but based on a barrel sample I tried a year ago, it's hard to believe that this wine won't eventually merit a higher score.

2014

Vecina Proprietary Blend (1.5 L)

$425

WA 98+ (10/2017): The 2014 Vecina displays a deep garnet-purple color and has a broody, baked blueberries, cassis and anise-laced nose with suggestions of garrigue, dusty earth and bay leaves. Full-bodied, rich, spicy and powerful in the mouth, it offers a lot of latent layers and promises great, great things to come with an incredibly long, layered finish. It needs a bit of time but should cellar beautifully for a good 25 years+.

JD 97 (12/2017): Another awesome wine is the 2014 Vecina and it’s from a vineyard on the western side of the valley, right up next to Harlan Estate. This deep, full-bodied, seriously concentrated 2014 gives up loads of plums, currants, toasty oak, chocolate, and chalky minerality. It picks up a touch of violets with time in the glass, but the theme here is deep, dark fruit and minerality. With the forward, supple style of the vintage, it still has serious concentration and structure, and is going to be long-lived.

VM 97 (3/2018): One of the most expressive wines in this range, the 2014 Vecina is powerful, dense and explosive. Despite its obvious intensity, the 2014 has quite a bit of detail and nuance. Time in the glass unleashes the wine's natural intensity, volume and power. The huge, savory and mineral-drenched finish only adds to the wine's immeasurable beauty. Antonio Galloni.

2014

$995

2016

Vecina Proprietary Blend (1.5 L)

$450

JD 99 (1/2020): The 2016 Vecina got a few expletives in my notes, and it’s one of the more powerful, structured, inward wines in the lineup. From a site on the western side of the appellation (not far from Harlan Estate), its deep purple color is followed by stunning notes of crushed rocks, violets, chocolate, graphite, and cold steel. It’s an incredible, insanely good Cabernet that’s going to benefit from a decade of bottle age and keep for 30 years or more.

2016

$950

2019