2017 - The Year of the Fire

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon - Fountaingrove District

92 points (Jeb Dunnuck)

"Coming from the Fountaingrove District on Sonoma and 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested all pre-fire and spent 27 months in 67% new French oak. It’s a more herbal, medium to full-bodied, fresh Cabernet that still has good density, ripe tannins, and nicely integrated acidity. Black fruits, green tobacco, cedary herbs, and mint all emerge from the glass, and it has a silky texture, solid overall balance, and outstanding length. Drink bottles any time over the coming 10-15+ years."

2017 Cabernet Sauvignon - Sonoma County

91 points (James Suckling)

"This has some attractive aromas of leather and dried black fruit with earthy nuances, too. The palate has a smooth, red-cherry and cassis core with fine, supple tannins. Medium body. Drink or hold." - James Suckling

90 points (SteveHeimoff.com)

"This very good wine shows the En Garde signature: ripe, opulent fruit, plenty of oak, refined tannins and a voluptuous mouthfeel that makes it instantly ready to drink. The flavors veer towards sweet summer blackberries and cassis, with a mocha-choca richness and savory spiciness. An elegant, delicious Cabernet of style and substance." - Steve Heimoff

2017 Pinot Noir Reserve - Russian River Valley

93 points (SteveHeimoff.com)

"This is a blend of the Starkey Hill and Pleasant Hill vineyards, and shows the same exuberant fruit: juicy raspberries and cherries, with some riper notes of red currants that mark the finish. It also has a bit more new oak, just enough to give that rich steak of vanilla and toast. The acidity is quite tart (0.65 TA) and stings me; the wine really needs the softening effect of food to tame it. Of all the Pinots, this is the one I’d give cellar time to—say, six years in a good cellar. Yet, if you’re drinking it now, the wine gets much more interesting as you move from “critical” mode into “enjoyment” mode, as there’s real complexity here." - Steve Heimoff

2017 Pinot Noir Pleasant Hill - Russian River Valley

90 points (SteveHeimoff.com)

"You’ll find the ripe fruits of cherries and raspberries, and the same vanilla spice from new oak. The tannins are silky and smooth, the acidity fine. All in all, this 2017 Pleasant Hill is a sumptuous wine that will pair nicely with Pinot-friendly food: steak, lamb, wild mushroom risotto." - Steve Heimoff

2017 Pinot Noir - Sonoma Coast

92 points (PinotFile)

"Pleasing aromas of dark red and blue fruits accented with oak. Silky and gracious, with a middleweight essence of black cherry. Plenty of pleasing juiciness and vibrancy with good oak integration and a driven, persistent finish." - Rusty Gaffney