Rating

Robert Parker 93 points (Dec 2005) The 2003 Jericho Canyon, from a 40-acre parcel of vines at the base of Mount St. Helena, is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. This is David Ramey’s homage to Pauillac. With a big sweet nose of white chocolate, creme de cassis, cedar, spice box, and high-quality smoky oak, it is full-bodied, rich, and tannic with notes of chocolate and espresso in the mouth. This wine also needs several years of cellaring and should last 15-20 years. Ramey kindly did a vertical of his two single-vineyard Chardonnays from the Hyde and Hudson Vineyards, and it was interesting that the Hudson aged quickly and was beginning to fade after 2-3 years, but the Hyde wines, even the oldest one, the 1996, were fresh and superb. David Ramey also has a successful consulting business. His list of clients includes the likes of Benziger, Saracina, Dierburg, Niebaum-Coppola, Lancaster, Audellsa, Landmark, Snowden, Rodney Strong, and Manoogian.  Wine Spectator 90 points (May 15 2006) Firm, dark and intense, with a rich, concentrated band of anise, currant, blackberry, mocha and light toasty, cedary oak. Very complex and balanced, with a finish that veers to the understated elements of the wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2011. 1,700 cases made. –JL

Wine maker notes

A dramatic and unique location located northeast of Calistoga and close to the Palisades. This is a 40-acre vineyard at the base of Mt. St. Helena. Very steeply terraced, it was planted in 1990 and 1993. The soil is a shallow clay-loam atop white volcanic ash, which provides excellent drainage and limits yields to between 1.4 and 2.7 tons per acre. The 2003 vintage is blended of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc.