Bevan Cellars Bevan Cellars Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard 2021 750ml

Sugarloaf is a cooler site in south Napa, above a quarry. It usually allows for a longer hang time, often lending a minty or herbal lift to this label. The deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain is composed of 55% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. It races out of the glass with gregarious notions of red and black currant preserves, beef drippings and wild sage, plus hints of chocolate box, pencil shavings and raspberry leaves. The blockbuster, full-bodied palate is densely laden with black and red berry layers, framed by firm, grainy tannins and compelling freshness, finishing with an herbal lift on the finish. 650 cases were produced. (Lisa Perrotti-Brown)

The terrific 2021 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain is a 60-40 blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot from this vineyard in southern Napa. Vaguely floral and leafy, loaded with purple raspberries and cherries, this is really complex, with lovely fruit. Full-bodied, supple, silky and seamless, it finishes long and elegant.

The 2016 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain is a blend of 55% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Very deep purple-black in color, it features earth, redcurrants, red and black cherries, plums and loads of florals with a waft of dried herbs. The palate offers loads of lift from the menthol and red fruits, with a fine-grained texture and tons of energy on the finish. 605 cases produced.

Gorgeous blue fruits, mountain scrub brush, sage, espresso, black raspberry, and violet notes all emerge from the 2021 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot that’s full-bodied and has terrific overall balance, building, fine-grained tannins, and a good spine of acidity that carries through the finish. This is another gorgeous wine in the lineup that shines for its complexity, balance, and depth.

The 2015 Sugarloaf Mountain Proprietary Red that began as an equal-part blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot seems to be an equal follow-up to the perfect 2014. Incredible aromatics of spring flowers and blue and black fruits are followed by a long, deep, skyscraper-like wine with explosive fruit intensity, loads of glycerin and a wonderfully, fleshy, succulent mouthfeel, which is certainly a characteristic of the top 2015s. This should drink nicely for 15–20 years.

The 2015 Proprietary Red Wine Sugarloaf Mountain is laced with the essence of ripe red cherry, plum, sage, wild flowers and savory herbs are all beautifully delineated. Voluptuous and racy to the core, the 2015 is a classic Russell Bevan wine built on layers of flavor and textural intensity. (Antonio Galloni)

Rich and generous, offering an array of dark-hued fruits. The ample structure bears merit, with fine-grained, dusty tannins. Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Best from 2021 through 2032. 500 cases made. (James Laube)

The 2016 Proprietary Red Wine Sugarloaf Mountain is fresh, nuanced and full of potential. The aromatics and fruit are beautifully delineated, while bright acidity gives the wine vibrancy and focus. The 2016 is shaping up to be a real jewel of a wine.