Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Lore Vineyard 2016

100 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Another legendary wine from Thomas Rivers Brown, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard matches the perfect 2015 and is as good as Cabernet Sauvignon gets. Reminding me a great vintage of Schrader’s Old Sparky, its deep purple color is followed by a sumptuous, other-worldly bouquet of crème de cassis, blueberries, violets, spring flowers, and camphor. Full-bodied and powerful, it’s the purity of fruit, poise, and balance that make this wine so special. With fine tannins and no hard edges, it satisfies both the intellectual and hedonistic parts of the brain and is magical stuff. As with the Herb Lamb release, you can drink it any time over the coming 20-25+ years. The entire lineup from Rivers Marie is stunning across the board and readers really can’t go wrong here. Drink: 2019-2044. (1/31/19)"

98 points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "High above the Rudd Winery in the eastern hills of Oakville, Lore Vineyard is a steep, rocky site with multiple afternoon exposures. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard is a little closed to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal notions of freshly crushed blackcurrants, redcurrant jelly, minted blackberries and mulberries plus wafts of espresso, chocolate-covered cherries, licorice and violets. Full-bodied and very firm, with wonderfully ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, the palate is packed with muscular fruit, finishing long and layered. This should age fantastically! 232 cases were made. Drink: 2020-2042. (Jul 2019)"

97+ points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard is sensational. Dark, powerful and explosive, the 2016 expresses all the best this rugged hillside site has to offer. Graphite, crushed rocks, menthol, licorice, smoke and dark spice explode from the glass. In most vintages, the Lore is massively tannic, but the 2016 has tremendous purity of fruit and exceptional balance. It is one of the best – maybe the best – Rivers-Marie Cabernet I have ever tasted. Drink: 2022-2036. (Dec 2018)"