Promontory 2017

The 2017 Promontory shares with predecessors an elusive scent of wet stones—though here, a minty, herbal note also rises from this mist. Subtle hints of red fruit cloak the wine’s finely articulated structure, overlaying a spine of acidity and chiseled tension. Energy livens the midpalate, almost like an electrical impulse, as the tannin—tightly coiled at first—gradually unwinds to reveal on the finish the delicate complexity of its many component strands. Although the 2017 is among the more introverted vintages to date, the patient listener is soon drawn into the entrancing interplay of the wine’s translucent layers.

98 Points - James Suckling

Blackcurrant, tar, lead pencil and dark fruit. Full-bodied with resin, dark-berry and redwood undertones and firm, fine tannins. Salty. Leaner than some, but so long and bright. Vertical elegance here. Needs three to four years to soften and open.

97 Points - Robert Parker 

Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Promontory has a wonderfully fragrant nose of baked blackberries, plum preserves and black currant pastilles with an undercurrent of star anise, violets, espresso and tilled earth. Medium to full-bodied, it is soft-spoken and elegantly styled in the mouth, featuring skillfully managed, grainy tannins and bags of juicy black fruits, finishing long, earthy and remarkably energetic. This is certainly among the most profound of the 2017 Napa Cabernets and for followers of this vineyard, not one to be missed.

96 Points - Wine Spectator

Winey and engaging, with steeped plum and blackberry fruit forming the core, while sleek, energetic apple wood and licorice snap accents fuel the finish. There's a hint of bramble along the edges, plus a long spine of dark earth and iron-accented minerality buried within. Impressive for the vintage. Best from 2024 through 2038.