2008 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon - 92 Points

“Grown at Ladera’s estate vineyards, rising from 1,600 to 1,800 feet in volcanic soils, this is an old-fashioned Howell Mountain wine. It’s pungent with dried herb tones and conifer scents, the currant flavor corseted by earthiness. The finish is smoky and warm, needing age to mellow.”

“Pat and Anne Stotesbery started growing grapes in 1996, at Lone Canyon Vineyard on Mount Veeder. When the Chateau Woltner property became available, complete with prime Howell Mountain Vineyard land and what had been the 19th – century ghost winery of Brun & Chaix, they purchased the property in Angwin and established a home for Ladera. They renovated the stone winery and replanted the vineyard to create a 103-acre estate. Those young vines, growing at 1,600 and 1,800 feet, have consistently produced a succulent mountain-grown cabernet since the first release. Among those releases, the ’02 is sweetly ripe; the ’04 has full-on mineral intensity, a giant mountain cabernet. The ’03 is the most composed of the three; it strikes a balance between muscular tannins and classical cassis flavor. The power of this wine increases over the course of several days, and the fruit is there to sustain it for many years to come.”

“Pat and Anne Stotesbery started growing grapes in 1996, at Lone Canyon Vineyard on Mount Veeder. When the Chateau Woltner property became available, complete with prime Howell Mountain Vineyard land and what had been the 19th – century ghost winery of Brun & Chaix, they purchased the property in Angwin and established a home for Ladera. They renovated the stone winery and replanted the vineyard to create a 103-acre estate.

Those young vines, growing at 1,600 and 1,800 feet, have consistently produced a succulent mountain-grown cabernet since the first release. Among those releases, the ’02 is sweetly ripe; the ’04 has full-on mineral intensity, a giant mountain cabernet. The ’03 is the most composed of the three; it strikes a balance between muscular tannins and classical cassis flavor. The power of this wine increases over the course of several days, and the fruit is there to sustain it for many years to come.”

“Ladera is known for its hillside estate Cabernet Sauvignon from the top of Howell Mountain and from Mount Veeder at the other end of Napa Valley. Tours of the historic 1886 stone winery are led by owners Pat and Dan Stotesbery or other family members. Tastings include wines that are sold only on-site. If you arrange in advance, the Stotesberys will lead a tour of their prized Lone Canyon Vineyard on Mount Veeder, followed by lunch and a tasting of Ladera "

“Ladera Vineyards is a promising newcomer.”

2015 Ladera Sauvignon Blanc - 92 Points: Outstanding; a wine of superior character and style.

“Vibrant and juicy, with an intriguing mix of honeysuckle, mango and toast flavors that are intense and refreshing. Floral and pine notes linger on the finish.”

“Wine lovers get excited when they uncork a great wine for a special occasion. The excitement is even greater when that bottle also represents terrific value.

Because Wine Spectator editors taste blind, we are judging quality without any knowledge about price. We love finding outstanding wines; even better is discovering that those bottles are relatively affordable. Pointing our readers to high quality bottles at good prices is always at the top of our to-do list, and we highlight such wines in many ways throughout the year.

We were pleasantly surprised when we ran the numbers from our editors’ tastings during 2016: We found we had tasted more than 1,200 wines that scored 90 points or higher and cost $30 or less! Representing every corner of the wine world, they include categories you’ve probably come to rely on already, such as reds from Argentina or whites from northeast Italy. But there are also under-tapped sources, such as France’s Loire Valley, as well as smart buys from places not usually associated with bargains, such as Piedmont and the Rhone.

In this Ultimate Buying Guide, we’ve organized these great values by region or type, to help you find your favorites or explore new options, and included complete tasting notes for the highest-scorers. There’s something for every taste, and we hope this far-reaching guide helps you drink better at feel-good prices.”

2015 Ladera Sauvignon Blanc - 92 Points: Outstanding; a wine of superior character and style.

“Tasting Highlights bring the best wines from our editors’ most recent tastings to WineSpectator.com members.”

“This week we’re taking stock of some of the most exciting examples of California Sauvignon Blanc. Besides Sauvignon Blanc’s telltale crisp acidity and fresh citrus and peach favors, these distinctive wines showcase what Golden State is capable of with this versatile grape.

In the right hands, California Sauvignon Blanc can showcase strong floral and herbal aromatics—orange blossom, honeysuckle, lemongrass and lemon verbena in particular. Some feature a fleshy succulence akin to the sensation of biting into a perfectly ripe peach or piece of melon.

With this selection of terrific examples priced between $15 and $30, there’s plenty of opportunity to explore.”

2015 Ladera Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

“A historic vineyard draws upon traditions from its past and present for a celebration unlike any other in wine country.”

“Visiting Ladera Vineyards on Howell Mountain, you would never guess you are in Napa. It might be the towering redwood trees or the notable altitude. Or maybe it’s the venerable 114-year-old stone winery. On this particular autumn Saturday – when the winery is hosting its annual harvest party, a 20-year tradition – it could very well be the 10-piece mariachi band playing under a eucalyptus tree. It’s a world away from the orchestrated elegance of Wine Country. There are three simple explanations for why a trip to this winery feels like a journey back in time – the history of the land, the background of its current owners and the decades-long stewardship of the vineyard manager.”

“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how good some of them are. They aren’t the big, bold, showy cabs that Napa Valley has become known for, but the really good examples show a finesse and balance that’s become the exception in riper vintages.

The best 2011s, instead, retain a savory character that reflects the varietal character of cabernet, with notes of anise, black olive and cedar. ‘It’s very location-driven,’ says Pat Stotesbery, proprietor of Ladera Vineyards, referring to the quality of the 2011s. ‘In supposed weaker vintages, hillside locations are the place to go.’

Ladera is in the hills, in the Howell Mountain appellation.

Stotesbery acknowledges that the good wines ‘are a little less Napa-like,’ but he says he prefers his 2011s to the richer 2010s. I found the 2011 Ladera Howell Mountain Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ($90) to be concentrated and lively, with red and black fruit, a hint of anise and very firm tannins.”

“We are back on the road for our Taste of America Tour, with a stop at one of the most beautiful spots in the country, Napa Valley in California where they produce some of literally the best wines in the world. And here with his favorite and affordable summer Napa wines is Food & Wine magazine executive wine editor, Ray Isle.

‘If there is one thing Napa Valley is known for, it’s Cabernet Sauvignon. It is America’s greatest Cabernet Sauvignon producing region. If you want a good Napa Valley Cabernet, splurge a little, this is actually a more expensive wine, this is about $39 a bottle, but to me what you are still looking for is value. This is a $39 wine that tastes to me like a $75 wine. Ladera Napa Valley, a fantastic producer. This is a wine you could drink now, you could put it away for 10-15 years. You could have it with a gorgeous steak you could honestly have it without anything at all.”

Napa Valley Wines - 2007 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley, Calif. is simply one of the most beautiful places in the country. But it's best-known for its wines. Napa's unique climate and soil composition make it fertile grape-growing country, producing some of the finest in the world that are used in vintages that rival some of the best from Europe.

We turned to Food & Wine magazine Executive Wine Editor for guidance on some of the best reasonably-priced summer wines Napa has to offer: 2007 Ladera Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

“Finally, if there's one thing Napa Valley is known for, it's Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet is kind of the king of red grapes, and Napa is unquestionably the greatest place for it in the US. You have to splurge a little for terrific Cabernet, but the key is finding one that tastes even better than its price. This Ladera, to me, tastes like a $75 wine even though it's only $39.” – Ray Isle