A wine of remarkable polish, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon boasts stunning depth and textural richness backed up by serious tannic clout. With time in the glass, the tannins seem to sweeten, releasing layer after layer of huge, dark fruit. Sweet floral and mocha-infused notes add lift on the finish. This is, frankly, an eye-opening wine with regards to potential of this much-maligned vintage. When I tasted with John Kongsgaard in late October 2011, he still hadn’t brought in a single red grape. He would do that on November 2 with this Cabernet. I can’t wait to see how the 2011 develops. Today, it is hard seeing the 2011 giving much pleasure anytime soon, but it should be magnificent with a few years of bottle age. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2031. These wines from John Kongsgaard were among the highlights from the month I spent in Napa Valley this year. The overall quality level here is absolutely remarkable. It is rare to see someone who is so brilliant with so many grape varieties, but Kongsgaard seems to have the magic touch. The Chardonnays remain among the most exquisite in California. Kongsgaard favors longer elevage for his Chardonnays and is generally willing to take greater risks than most of his colleagues. No guts, no glory, as the saying goes. Well, there is plenty of glory here.Fax (707) 226-2936

The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa is much more compact and linear without the intensity of the 2012, but still a very good effort for the vintage. These all look like impressive wines, but they are so limited in availability, I’ve kept my tasting notes short. The brilliant John Kongsgaard – part winemaker, part opera devotee, and part mystic – has a few new items up his sleeve for release. Of course, he is still offering his Chardonnays and Syrahs, which are among the very best made in California. Over recent years Kongsgaard has branched out to produce Cabernet Sauvignon from Atlas Peak. He has two cuvees now that come from these volcanic soils, cropped at very tiny yields of one ton of fruit per acre. The wines come from relatively old vines for Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, 35 years of age as of 2012. Kongsgaard’s newest baby, which he started making in 2009, is only two to four barrels of co-fermented Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in a 50/50 blend from the Atlas Peak site. Fax (707) 226-2936