These NOBLEMAN-approved red wines for winter are perfect to cozy up with your favorite person fireside.
2017 Bryant Estate DB4, $125.
Bryant Family Vineyards was founded in 1988 with the single purpose of making an extraordinary, high-end Cabernet Sauvignon. Located on a 13-acre site in the hills east of St. Helena in Napa Valley, this sexy wine has up-front notes of chocolate, mulberry, and blackcurrants. It is lush, plush and captivating. Available at bryant.estate
Ornellaia 2016 La Tensione, $260.
A particularly dark and young color is the prelude to a complex nose of blackberries, spices, and cedar. The palate is rich and dense, balanced by a refined and firm tannic structure, lifted by a juicy and bright acidity. Available at ornellaia.com
Larkmead Firebelle, $150.
A stunning Merlot made from a unique combination of rich loam soils full of clay and gravel. The result is a refined, soft flavor of fresh, floral aromas with elegant tannins and body. Available at larkmead.com
2016 Newton Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, $210.
Cassis, cedarwood and musk blend well to produce a powerful mineral-driven palate in this intensely concentrated cabernet that is also somehow bright and fresh. Available at newtonvineyard.com
2015 G.B. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, $225.
Soft aromatics on the nose evolve into a more nuanced melange of vibrant and energetic qualities with fruits, licorice, and dark chocolate. Available at thecraneassembly.com
2015 Sterling Vineyards Iridium Cabernet Sauvignon, $250.
Iridium is the pinnacle of winemaking perfection with its polished tannins and rich texture that are the signature of this bold and opulent wine. Notes of mocha are accented with oak spice, caramel toffee and layered flavors that linger, leaving a lasting impression. Available at sterlingvineyards.com
Cakebread Cellars 2016 Dancing Bear Ranch, $189.
With hints of bittersweet chocolate, espresso, new leather, cloves and licorice, this vintage is a showstopping wine to open and will age beautifully over the next 10 years. Available at cakebread.com
2016 Lewis Cellars Cuvee L, $250.
A noble savage from an outstanding vintage with great depth of character, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon has the strength of a grizzly and the soul of a chief. This onyx and indigo wine is cloaked in tiers of blackberry with clove and cedary oak spices. Broad paths of richly rendered fruit trail into hand-hewn tannins reflecting nature’s winding ways. Available at lewiscellars.com
Arnot-Roberts Fellom Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, $100.
Cool nights and airflow from the Pacific Ocean help to moderate the ripening of this exquisite wine. The result is a balanced fruit with intense concentration and varietal purity with wildly aromatic and deeply concentrated notes of dark pigment and fruit, supported by a strong tannic structure. Available at arnotroberts.com
Beaulieu Vineyard 2016Georges de Latour Private Reserve, $145.
Bursting with notes of blueberry, blackberry, violet and wild sage, this full-bodied wine is rich on the palate. Chocolate and molasses support its perfectly balanced acidity and add length, juiciness, and freshness to an everlasting finish. Available at bvwines.com
2015 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $175.
Dried cherries and vanilla intermingle with softer notes of espresso bean, pipe tobacco, and lavender with a palate that slowly yields to intense, vibrant tannins and bright acid. Available at montelena.com
2014 Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, $130.
This 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain has an incredibly evocative nose of creme de cassis, plum preserves and fresh wild blueberries with touches of chocolate mints, tilled soil, yeast extract, chargrill and scorched earth. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the mouth with fresh, crunchy black fruit, framed by firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with bags of energy. Available at dunnvineyards.com
