Pulido-Walker Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Melanson Vineyard 2018

99 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard emerges mostly from upper blocks on this site, a striking hillside that faces Colgin, where the steep exposure can yield wines of tremendous pedigree. That is exactly what comes through here. Inky red/purplish fruit, spice, rose petal, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco meld together effortlessly, with silky tannins that wrap it all up. Bold and luscious, but with tremendous nuance, the Melanson Cabernet is a total stunner in 2018. As I have written in the past, farming here has improved tremendously in recent years. This is another superb example of the quality that this site is capable of. Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown gave the 2018 a relatively short 10 days on the skins. I imagine he thought the site would take care of the rest. It's hard to argue with that. The 2018 is off the charts great. Don't miss it. Drink: 2025-2038. (Jan 2021)"

Producer notes: "Thanks to an excellent set, early fruit stability, and true ripeness, the 2018 Pulido~Walker Melanson Vineyard Cabernet is an exemplary wine. It is intensely colored, with framing acidity and tons of structure. This vineyard does best with a long hang time—the longer we get to ripen the tannin, the better the result. 2018 is a prime example of what we’re aiming for with well-integrated tannins, including a somewhat expansive mid palate and no clipping of the finish. All the flavor hallmarks of the vineyard are on display here, from deeply saturated black fruits to crushed rock to even more of the high-toned white flower component we’ve come to expect in Napa Valley wines from top-tier mountain sites. We’re pleased to follow the tiny 2017 vintage with a more generous offering of what is bound to be a benchmark vintage of this wine. Enjoy it any time over the next three decades. Alcohol 14.5%. 398 cases produced."