California Cabernet 2016

OUTSTANDING 95–97pts

Black Stallion, Limited Release, Napa Valley

Decanter average score: 95/100pts Individual judges’ scores: Stephen Brook 94 James Doidge 95 Ronan Sayburn MS 96

£83.74 Bancroft Wines

The name Black Stallion is a tribute to the Silverado equestrian centre, which once occupied the site now home to the winery. Grapes for its Limited Release wines are sourced from higher elevations in the valley, contributing greater power and concentration.

Stephen Brook Muted nose, blackcurrants and black olives, a hint of tar. Suave and sumptuous, but dense and tannic mid-palate, some edgy acidity. There’s ample fruit but it’s not exactly chiselled and defined.

James Doidge Inky purple, full-throttle aromas of blackberries and violets, with subtlety and savoury notes devloping on the finish, very good. Alcoholic, but balanced.

Ronan Sayburn MS Very refined and elegant nose: ripe Bordeaux, restrained Napa. Fine and long, very balanced.

Drink 2020-2045 Alcohol 15%

Gallica, Oakville, Napa Valley 95 SB 95 JD 94 RS 95

N/A UK www.gallicawine.com

From Gallica’s Oakville Ranch vineyard, soils here are volcanic in origin with a distinct red appearance. Over the years, the role of Cabernet Franc in the wine – co-fermented with the Cabernet Sauvignon – has become more important, and in 2016 formed 17% of the final blend.

SB Elegant blackcurrant nose, with purity of fruit and a light floral tone, violets. Charming and graceful, finely concentrated without excessive extraction, and an admirable freshness and nimble character. Stylish, perky and long.

JD Elegant balance of ripe cassis fruit and savoury notes. Tannins are grippy and grainy, savoury palate with fresh acidity. Pleasing savoury notes to complement overt fruit, and long length.

RS Big, dense, elegant oak and structure, with fine weighty tannins, good acidity and mouthfeel; elegant but youthful.

Drink 2020-2035 Alc 14.5%

Black Stallion, Napa Valley 95 SB 95 JD 93 RS 96

£44 Bancroft Wines, The Good Wine Shop

Black Stallion’s history in the region stretches back nearly a century, when in 1924 Sicilian-born Gaspare Indelicato planted a vineyard in Manteca, California. This blend undergoes maturation for 18 months in a combination of American and French oak.

SB Reserved plum and blackberry nose. Plump and svelte, concentrated and fleshy, with