Freddy R. Troya

9.1

Alta Nova Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 — Napa Valley, California 🇺🇸

Overview
A polished, concentrated Napa Cabernet crafted with finesse under winemaker Britt Richards. Ripe red and dark fruit lead the profile, supported by firm structure, layered depth, and well-judged oak. Powerful yet controlled, delivering intensity without heaviness or excess.

Aromas & Flavors
Black cherry, cassis, plum, raspberry compote, cedar, vanilla, cocoa, baking spice, toasted oak.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus to full-bodied with confident structure. Grippy but refined tannins, fresh acidity, and a punchy, energetic core. Dense and multilayered while remaining balanced and composed. Long, polished finish.

Food Pairings
Grilled ribeye, lamb chops, braised short ribs, mushroom risotto, aged cheddar.

Verdict
A serious yet approachable Napa Cab that favors elegance over excess. Concentrated, complex, and thoughtfully built, strength with precision rather than volume.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is my kind of Napa: structured, grippy with grace, and multilayered. Punchy in the right way, power with finesse, not a fruit bomb. Credit to the winemaking hand of Britt Richards here.

Did You Know?
A new wave of Napa winemakers is prioritizing balance, earlier picking, and restrained oak to highlight freshness and terroir over sheer ripeness. — 5 months ago

Tom Mitchell

10

Excellent Italian. Bought at Richards — 6 years ago

Jennifer Stadnicki

9.0

With Beats from Poyr Richards. — 7 years ago

Jennifer Stadnicki

9.1

Stone fruit and citrus flavors and a bit of minerality. Crisp and lovely. Paired with Korean bulgogi.

Pour Richards ~$17 — 7 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.7

Richards Cuvee,
Can’t believe I’m saying this about a 10 year old Bevan, but had enough tannic structure for another 10 years😳, thought I grabbed a 2013 or newer Syrah by mistake. — 8 years ago

Jennifer Stadnicki

9.7

Dark fruits with fresh yet round flavors. Should cellar well or drink now. Pretty amazing. Purchased at Pour Richards ($50) — 10 years ago

Ash

9.0

Mildy sweet. Somewhat dry. Good with dessert. — 10 years ago

with Kelly

Doug Powers

9.2

Medium-dark red-purple color, beautiful redfruit aromas and flavors, with medium-toast oak showing as a seasoning the background, pretty sound structure and backbone, solid acidity, long, lingering finish, excellent California mountain Merlot (w/25% Cabernet Sauvignon). The sheer quality and complexity of this bottle is a wonderful tribute to the vision of Barbara and Jim Richards, who I am certain would be very proud, with Paloma now being ably run by their son Sheldon and his family. — 6 months ago

with Jim

sasha

9.1

Pour Richards 15. A big well-rounded wine with something for everyone. Had a t-bone with it the second night. — 3 years ago

Ashlyn Fleener

9.5

Very smooth, a sour apple taste, and full bodied! — 7 years ago

Oliver Seaman

9.5

Ben Richards birthday — 7 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.5

I know it’s become a bit of a cliché...
It IS rather dear for a rosé...
The cult of Kermit and all that...
...but it remains a benchmark. It’s SUBSTANTIAL, for one, you don’t want to gulp it down, it’s 14% ABV and so marvelously complex. Nose is strawberries, herbs, brett. Palate is more strawberries, watermelon, slate, brett, moss, garrigue. Bitter finish with a bit of zing. It’s wild and untamed, yet sophisticated—Keith Richards in a tuxedo. — 8 years ago

with Alsu

Megan Young

8.9

Loved the bold flavor. Laurie Richards brought back from California — 8 years ago

Joergen Nyholm

8.9

Cliff Richards own blend ;-) — 10 years ago

Doug Powers

9.3

So, Barbara and Jim Richards (RIP) planted 5 acres back in 1991 (1990?) of Syrah on the northeast (downslope) corner of their Paloma vineyard on Spring Mountain in what visually looked like a “low spot” (partially shaded and also maybe an area that maybe occasionally got standing water back in the days when California got enough rain). The rest of the vineyard was of course Merlot and also some Cabernet Sauvignon used mostly for blending with their fantastic mountain Merlot. The vineyard is just east of Pride Mountain and across the road from what used to be (??) Schweiger Vineyards.

Anyway, Bob Foley, who was making the wines for Pride in those early days, was consulting for Barbara and Jim early on, but I have ZERO information as to what involvement he had with the Syrah, if I recall correctly, the first Syrah in 1995 was less than a barrel (12-15 cases), and was aged in a super OLD, neutral barrel. My Chicago friends, who knew the Richards, dragged me along to taste that fateful day. That 1995 Syrah, first wine they ever made from those young Syrah vines, was, frankly, eye-opening and FANTASTIC, as I told Jim Richards that day. After tasting the INCREDIBLE 1995 Syrah, which was so northern Rhône-like and so pure, I begged Jim to sell me a bottle or two, but he politely declined. Later that day, after tasting the rest of their great wines, as we were leaving, Jim GAVE me a 4-pack box of that 1995 Syrah, which he wouldn’t accept any $$$ for, and that 1995 Syrah still in my memory remains the GREATEST CA Syrah I’ve ever tasted!!

As you can probably tell, I adored Jim and Barbara Richards, amazing people and generous to a fault!! Amazing people!!! I don’t think I ever met their son, Sheldon, but from all accounts he is continuing the tradition of great Paloma wines, though that great Syrah vineyard was pulled out in the early 2000s — Sheldon, if you happen to see this post, I welcome any corrections if I got any details wrong!!

Oh, and this Syrah is pretty dang good as well!!! — 2 years ago

with Jim

Nora Scheller

9.2

Great cab for ~$15! Bought at Richards Fine Wines and Liquors. — 7 years ago

Doug Powers

9.4

Lovely older Syrah fruit, plums mostly, also some pine notes, first commercial vintage of the Paloma Syrah (and only one labeled Milagro, a legal issue), medium-long finish, neutral oak, love it!! A tribute to the greatness of Barbara and Jim Richards!! — 8 years ago

Randy

9.0

Light, cranberry, smooth acidity — 8 years ago

Ryan Arnold

9.4

Beautiful! — 9 years ago

Narun P

9.1

Floral, bacon fat, smoked bbq, Cote-Rotie-eques. Yum. — 10 years ago