The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch Vineyard, which includes 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, is another incredible wine from this winemaker. Revealing a deep purple hue as well as a killer bouquet of cassis, currants, lead pencil, graphite, and violets, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, sumptuous, layered mouthfeel that carries lots of velvety tannins as well as remarkable freshness. It's certainly a large-scaled, voluptuous 2018, yet it still has that vintage's laser-like focus as well as structure. It benefits from a decant if drinking any time today, but it’s going to drink nicely for 20 years or more.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch is a super-classy, elegant wine. The bright acids so typical of this site confer real energy and vibrancy throughout. This mid-weight, powerful Cabernet has so much going on. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, licorice and menthol are beautifully laced together, but more than anything else, the 2018 impresses with its persistence and overall freshness. It's a beautifully done wine from Helen Keplinger.