Antonio Galloni, Vinous - December 2016

A magnificent towering wine, the 2013 Roberta's Reserve is deep, powerful and massively tannic. Far from an easygoing Merlot, the 2013 Roberta's Reserve is going to require considerable cellaring to fully blossom. Floral, savory and mineral notes are pushed forward, until a rush of blue and black fruits opens up on the mid palate and through to the finish. Lavender, sage, menthol, licorice and inky fruit add the final shades of nuance in an explosive Merlot to put away in the darkest corner of the cellar.

Robert Parker, Jr. - October 2016

At 100% Merlot, the 2013 Merlot Roberta’s Reserve is off the charts and could easily eclipse a great vintage of Pétrus in a blind tasting. Fabulous notes of sweet cocoa and chocolate intermixed with black cherry and blackberry soar from the glass of this full-bodied wine that has a deep, rich, profound core of fruit and density. It is a great example of possibly the finest vintage Napa has ever produced for Bordeaux varieties. This wine has greatness all over it, with a minute-plus finish, yet is accessible enough to be drinkable now or cellared for another 30+ years.

James Suckling - September 2016

The aromas to this are mind-blowing. Pure violets, lilacs, blueberries, blackberries, licorice, and flowers. Full body and superb tannin tension with polish and balance. Harmony. The layers and texture to this are phenomenal. The greatest American merlot ever made. Ranks among the best in the world. Only about 300 cases made.

Robert Parker, Jr. - October 2014

The 2012 Roberta’s Reserve (100% Merlot aged 20 months in 100% new French oak). It is a bigger wine with 14.5% alcohol. It comes from a block of 10-year-old vines planted in heavy clay soils. Stunning aromatics include notes of mocha, chocolate fudge, black cherries and berry fruit intertwine with hints of incense, burning embers and charcoal. This full-bodied, opulent, lavishly rich, voluptuously textured Merlot is about as great as Napa Merlot can be. Enjoy it over the next 15-20 years.

Antonio Galloni, Vinous - October 2015

The 2012 Roberta's Reserve (Merlot) is another drop-dead gorgeous wine from Kapcsándy. Mocha, black cherries, plums, licorice and menthol meld together in an effortless, seamless wine endowed with sublime grace and class. Lovely savory and mineral notes support the pliant finish. What a gorgeous wine this is.

Robert Parker, Jr. - December 2010

The 2008 Roberta's Reserve State Lane Vineyard (96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc) is virtually perfect. This offering is just as strong as the 2007, but slightly more forward and irresistible than the backward 2007. It boasts a dense inky/purple color as well as an extraordinary nose of blackberry liqueur intermixed with cocoa, forest floor, graphite and subtle hints of smoke as well as camphor. The wine reveals fresh acids, laser-like precision and an extraordinary plump, fleshy mouthfeel. Already approachable, it should evolve for 20-25+ years.

Stephen Tanzer, 2008 Vintage Retrospective - May 2018

Medium red. More red than black fruits on the nose, complicated by spices, flowers, underbrush and a hint of maple syrup. Marvelously sweet, plush and layered but not an outsized wine; in fact, this brilliant Merlot is most noteworthy for its inner-mouth lift, minerality and firm acidity. Finishes gripping but not a bit hard, with suave tannins and inexorable palate-staining length. Already very appealing (but decant it if you plan on opening a bottle now) but has the spine for at least another 15 years of further development. Boasts uncanny depth and breadth for a wine from vines that were seven years old. 

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Parker's Wine Advocate - December 2017

Made from 100% Merlot, the 2015 Merlot Roberta’s Reserve has a deep garnet-purple color and gorgeous nose of black plums, warm blueberries and mocha with touches of anise, red roses and spice box. Medium to full-bodied and densely packed with layers of blue and black fruits and perfumed notions, it has a firm yet plush backbone to support and a very long, layered finish.

Jeb Dunnuck - December 2017

The 2015 Merlot Roberta's Reserve is a textbook expression of Merlot and it has a pretty, yet sexy style to go with lots of blue fruits, violets, leafy herbs and graphite aromas and flavors. Like all the 2015s from this estate, it has sensational purity of fruit, is impeccably balanced, and has ultra-fine tannin. Drink this terrific 2015 anytime over the coming two decades.

Antonio Galloni, Vinous - March 2018

The 2015 Roberta's Reserve offers serious density and pure power. Silky tannins add to an impression of plushness in this flamboyant Merlot. Blackberry jam, licorice, dark cherry, chocolate and sweet spices lead into the racy finish. This is a decidedly extroverted version of the Roberta's. In 2015, the Roberta's is 100% Merlot, whereas most vintages made to date have included some blenders.

James Suckling - May 2017

Love this merlot. Violets, roses, incense, and currants come to the fore on the nose. Full body and ultra-fine tannins that are so polished and integrated they become seamless and incredibly beautiful. Long and flavorful finish. Drink or hold. Long life ahead but who can wait?

Antonio Galloni, Vinous - December 2016

The 2014 Roberta's Reserve comes across as quite soft and sensual in this vintage, with less of the drive that is such a signature of the other wines here. This is the only 2014 at Kapcsándy that has not grown meaningfully since I last tasted it. Then again, Merlot is a quirky grape, as it often goes through unpredictable periods of being closed, especially in the early going. Today, my impression is that the 2014 will drink well with minimal cellaring, but it has less structure than some of the surrounding vintages as well as the other 2014s. This is an especially laid back, almost translucent wine from Kapcsándy. It will be interesting to see what the future brings. 

Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Parker's Wine Advocate - December 2017

The 2014 Merlot Roberta’s Reserve, composed of 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, has a deep garnet-purple color and is scented of warm plums, baked blackberries and blueberry pie with suggestions of spice cake, violets and licorice. Medium to full-bodied, rich, opulent and seductive in the mouth, it has mouth-filling black and blue fruit with oodles of exotic spices, framed by velvety tannins and great freshness, finishing long.

Jeb Dunnuck - December 2017

Made from 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc, the deep ruby/purple-colored 2014 Merlot Roberta's Reserve is another terrific Merlot, and my money is on it being the best example of this variety in the Valley. Blackberries, dried herbs, earth, and loads of chocolate give way to a full-bodied, opulent 2014 that has silky tannin, incredible purity and a great, great finish. It too will keep for 15-20 years.

Antonio Galloni, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - December 2012

Whereas the 2009 is round and seamless the 2010 Roberta’s Reserve is a huge, vertical wine endowed with stunning depth and richness. Violets, tar, graphite and sweet spices jump from the glass in this powerful, structured wine. Brisk saline notes give the finish its sense of energy and tension. This is a dazzling effort. The 2010 is 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2040.

Stephen Tanzer, Vinous - May 2013

Good medium ruby. High-pitched aromas of blackberry, blueberry, minerals and licorice. Wonderfully intense but youthfully imploded on the palate, offering electric flavors of black fruits, cocoa powder, bitter chocolate and minerals. Utterly seamless considering that it's so backward today. Finishes with noble tannins, great class and energy and endless lingering perfume. This gained steadily in complexity during the 45 minutes or so I was able to follow it, but its steely structure suggests it will evolve gracefully for two or three decades. It's perhaps the single greatest merlot-based wine I have ever tasted from California. (Winemaker Denis Malbec, who literally grew up at Chateau Latour, also makes the great merlot-based Rive Droite bottling at Blankiet, which means that he is responsible for California's two greatest merlots, in the opinion of this taster.)

Robert Parker, Jr. - December 2009

Nearly as extraordinary, and a wine that may turn out to be pure perfection in a few years is the 2007 Roberta's Reserve State Lane Vineyard. Composed of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc (only 100 cases produced), this dense purple-hued Merlot offers up an exotic nose of mocha, cocoa, orange blossoms, cassis, and cherries. Its elegance combined with tremendous substance, power, and richness is exhilarating. This compelling wine possesses an extraordinary deep mid-palate as well as aromatic fireworks. It can be drunk now, but it promises to be even better in 4-5 years, and last for three decades.

Stephen Tanzer, Vinous - May 2017

Medium ruby. Aromas of crushed blackberry and blueberry show a slightly liqueur-like quality. Then remarkably suave, energetic and light on its feet; more open-knit than the Grand Vin Cabernet yet still with outstanding detail and definition. The small Cabernet Franc component adds a hint of floral lift to the middle palate. Very sappy but utterly edge-free. Substantial, rather powerful tannins emerge late and saturate the mouth and teeth. This extremely long wine still needs time to fully harmonize.

Robert Parker, Jr. - June 2015

The Merlot-dominated cuvée (91% Merlot and 9% Cabernet Franc), the 2005 Proprietary Roberta’s Reserve, remains and was – even 10 years ago – a tiny cuvée of only 240 cases, with the Merlot coming from a vein of heavy clay on their vineyard. An inky purple color offers up notes of white chocolate, mocha, espresso roast, blackcurrants and black cherries. Full-bodied and opulent, it is a beautifully, lush, succulent, generously endowed wine that can be drunk now as well as over the next 12-15 years.

Stephen Tanzer, Vinous - May 2016

Dark red. Dark berries, licorice, minerals, chocolate, iron and flowers on the almost exotic nose. Thick, silky and seamless, offering highly concentrated flavors of blackberry, spices and flowers. This plush wine has buns of steel. Finishes with big but utterly suave tannins and outstanding building length. This amazing California Merlot boasts terrific inner-mouth energy and lift.

–Antonio Galloni, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - December 2012

Kapcsandy’s 2009 Roberta’s Reserve is one of the most polished and refined wines of the vintage by a mile. A core of insistent minerality layered with sweet floral notes form the backbone as this delineated, vibrant wine continues to open up beautifully in the glass. The 2009 Roberta’s is all about finesse. The overall sensation is one of total seamlessness and silkiness. At the same time, there is more than enough tension and sheer power for the 2009 to drink beautifully for years. The 2009 Roberta’s is 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2034.

Robert Parker, Jr. - October 2013

The 2009 Roberta’s Reserve (14.2% alcohol), a luxury Merlot-based wine, is composed of 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. It possesses copious amounts of melted chocolate, fudge, espresso roast, black cherry, plum and Asian spice characteristics that hit the palate with a full-bodied crescendo, wonderful opulence and a juicy, succulent, voluptuous texture. This beauty is hard to resist. Unfortunately, they only made 260 cases, or 8% of the total production.

Robert Parker, Jr. - December 2008

I was blown away by the 2006 Roberta's Reserve State Lane Vineyard, which was even better from bottle than it was from barrel. Sadly, there are only 250 cases of this amazing Merlot-based effort (94% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc). Prodigious aromas of melted chocolate, licorice, espresso roast, black cherries, black currants, and underlying floral and forest floor scents are followed by a sensationally concentrated, opulent, rich wine. This amazing Napa Valley tour de force makes a strong argument, particularly when tasted alongside the 2005 and 2007, that there is no better Merlot-based wine being made in California. Drink it over the next 25-30 years.

Antonio Galloni, Vinous - January 2020

The 2017 Roberta's Reserve is a deeply intriguing wine, as it is quite marked by the 5% Cabernet Franc that is in the blend, and that adds savory aromatic intensity. The 2017 is persistent and also quite powerful today. It is also likely to require at least a few years in bottle to be at its most expressive and rewarding. Time in the glass brings out the Merlot on the mid-palate as well as the wine's inner sweetness.

Jeb Dunnuck -  January 2020

A blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc brought up in plenty of new barrels, the 2017 Roberta's Reserve has classic notes of black cherries, spring flowers, spicy incense, and dried earth. Seamless, elegant, with incredible finesse and purity, it has plenty of ripe tannins, notable structure, no hard edges, and a great finish. It's another wine that builds with time in the glass and is going to evolve beautifully.

Antonio Galloni, Vinous - November 2013

Amazingly, the 2011 Roberta's Reserve may turn out to be better than the 2010. Today it is certainly much more polished, finessed and persistent than the bombastic 2010. Sweet herbs, wild flowers, mint and new leather are all layered together on the finish. The 2011 is all about purity, finesse and balance. What a gorgeous wine this is. The 2011 is 96% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc.