2005 Vintage

95-97     Steven Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar May/June 07
Inky ruby. Incredibly aromatic nose of explosive cassis, blackberry and mulberry fruit, given energy by suggestions of licorice, black tea and graphite. Utterly mouthfilling and powerful, with deeply concentrated blackcurrant and blackberry flavors bordering on liqueur-like in their intensity and sweetness. This is seamless, penetrating and expansive on the finish, with uncanny purity and no apparent tannins, although they are in there somewhere. One of the most impressive cabernet samples I've tasted in years, from anywhere.

96  Robert M. Parker Jr.'s The Wine Advocate December 2007
Readers looking for a Screaming Eagle look-alike should check out David Ramey’s 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal (85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot), a wine that has put on amazing richness and intensity since last year. Beautifully pure crème de cassis fruit interwoven with notions of spring flowers, espresso roast, and truffles jump from the glass of this wine. Wonderfully sweet, expansive fruit flavors, a massive, full-bodied palate, and superb elegance as well as purity suggest this stunner should drink well for 20-25+ years.

2004 Vintage

95+     Robert M. Parker Jr.'s The Wine Advocate 12-22-06
Another killer wine from David Ramey comes from the Pedregal Vineyard. This is one of my favorite sites for Cabernet Sauvignon in all of Napa, right on the Oakville crossroads on the eastern side of the valley, just adjacent to Rudd and slightly down the hill from Dalla Valle and the Phelps Backus vineyard. Rocky, iron-rich, red soils seem to produce terrific Cabernet Sauvignon, and certainly this is a knock-out. Sadly, there are only 325 cases of the 2004 Pedregal, a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Petit Verdot. Dense purple with notes of crème de cassis, cedar, truffle, and crushed rocks interwoven with extravagant levels of graphite, black currants, and scorched earth, this dense, powerful, rich wine is a real connoisseur’s selection as it will need 3-4 years of bottle age and should keep for 20-30+ years.

95  Steven Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar May/June 07
Saturated ruby. Assertive red- and blackcurrant aromas are accented by strong mineral notes and complicated by licorice, espresso and tobacco. Deep, concentrated and powerfully sweet, with liqueur-like dark berry flavors and firm but integrated tannins. Gains weight with air but maintains remarkable structure, finishing with palate-enveloping sweetness. Stunning stuff.