The 2012 Claret Reserve is a gorgeous wine that captures the essence of the Pride house style. Sweet dark cherries, tobacco, hard candy, mint, cola and mocha all open up nicely in the glass. Round, succulent and deeply expressive, the 2012 hits all the right notes. Floral and savory notes add lift, but the style remains classic 2012, which is to say racy and voluptuous. The 2012 can be drunk now or cellared for 10-15 years.

-- Antonio Galloni

A blockbuster, powerful, rich and well-structured. Floral red currant, mocha and bay leaf aromas give over to focused and supple flavors of black cherry and spicy toast. The finish lingers, with ripe and persistent tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2024. 586 cases made. - T.F.

The 2012 Claret Reserve is a blend of 66% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot aged in 40% new French oak for 22 months. The bulk of the fruit comes from the Sonoma side of their vineyards, with about 28% from Napa. There are 586 cases of this red, which is one of the more potent wines in the Pride lineup at 14.9% alcohol. The wine has great intensity, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and loads of créme de cassis, chocolate, plum, licorice and foresty undertones. Full-bodied, with oodles of glycerin, a highly extracted, silky mouthfeel, terrific purity, and length of a good 45 to 50 seconds, this fabulous effort can be drunk now or cellared for 12-15+ years.

It calls itself Claret, and this wonderfully refined wine very much earns the name, for while showing plenty of richness and captivating fruity depth, it is uncommonly polished for the ripe and well-extracted working that it is. It is showy now, but please do not be lured into drinking it too early, for it holds a great deal in reserve and is a long way from reaching its best. It is structured to improve for a decade or more, and its future beauty is as sure as a sure thing can be.