Looking at the two 2018s, the 2018 Amoenus comes from the Blossom Creek Vineyard outside of Calistoga and was brought up in new French oak. Both 2018s are concentrated, powerful wines. The Amoenus possesses a beautiful sense of freshness and purity, yet backs that up with a huge, opulent profile that carries incredible black and blue fruits. Showing more chocolate, tobacco, graphite, and foresty, earthy notes with air, this full-bodied beauty has ample ripe, polished tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It certainly shows the more brooding, backward, powerful style of the vintage and is built for the long haul. Hide bottle for 5-7 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following 40 years or so.

The 2018 Amoenus Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes galloping out of the glass with energetic crème de cassis and blueberry pie scents, with hints of Indian spices, eucalyptus and chocolate box plus a waft of iron ore. Full-bodied, concentrated and wonderfully decadent, it has a firm, grainy texture and lively line of freshness, finishing long and minerally.