2015 Dana Estates, Lotus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Magnum (1.5L)

JD99 "Lastly, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Lotus Vineyard from the base of Howell Mountain is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot that spent over two years in 90% new barrels. It’s a ripe, sexy wine that has a huge nose of crème de cassis, blueberry liqueur, crushed rocks, and liquid violet characteristics as well as obvious minerality and earth. Deep, full-bodied, and incredibly powerful on the palate, it’s one of those “iron fist in a velvet glove” wines that marries massive depth of fruit with serious amounts of structure. This totally thrilling, world-class effort is going to last for 3-4 decades." JD Jan 2019

JS99 "Extremely complex aromas of iodine, dark fruit, oyster shell, forest floor and blackberries follow through to a full body. Great intensity and integrity. Tannins are chewy now. Excellent tannin quality." JS Feb 2018

Lisa Perrotti-Brown for RobertParker.com writes, "A very impressive revival of this historical estate in Rutherford (formally the Livingston-Moffett Estate), under the diligent consultancy of Philippe Melka, Dana Estates is producing polished and expressive superstar wines from three wonderfully diverse vineyards. Helms Vineyard consists of five acres on gravelly loam, right on the northern edge of the Rutherford bench, planted in 1997 and 1998. Hershey Vineyard on Howell Mountain is 26 acres in total, 18 of which were planted in 2008. It is planted to just about all aspects imaginable, so it’s quite a varied site, although the Dana Hershey label comes mainly from just four blocks. Lotus Vineyard is just below Howell Mountain, not high enough to make that AVA. A very steep vineyard, 100% hand farmed, Lotus is by far the warmest site for this estate. Onda is a blend of all the vineyards, including their fourth Crystal Springs vineyard, which does not produce a single vineyard wine." BT 97-100PTs Published: Dec 29, 2017