Here are the best domestic red wines for 2016. Only wines released or made availablefor prerelease tasting from March 2015 throughMarch 2016 were considered.SEE ALSO:Your favorite wine to drink this summer might be blueDON'T FORGET:Follow Business Insider's Lifestyle page on Facebook!Mayacamas Vineyards 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Library Release Napa ValleyPerched atop the rugged Mayacamas Mountains that divide the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, this prized site produces some of the purest, most complex Cabernet Sauvignons in the world. Though the cooler 1998 vintage followed the lauded 1997, this library release is currently outperforming the earlier vintage due to lower alcohol levels and higher acidity. The spectacular winesoulful with the aromas of black currant, dried cherry, cedar, and leatheris reminiscent of great Bordeaux and yet still quintessentially old-school Napa Valley.Bob Travers, the owner and winemaker of Mayacamas from 1968 to 2012, picked grapes at the ideal ripeness to make wines that age well. In contrast, today's cult-Cabernet style demands that grapes be picked as late as possible, resulting in higher-alcohol wines that often peak a few years after release. A Travers bottle needs 15 to 35 years of cellaring to reach its pinnacle.- The wine was aged mainly in neutral oak.- Roughly 2,000 cases were produced.- The estate dates to 1889 and comprises 475 acres of mountain landscape.Mayacamas Vineyards,mayacamas.com($175)Dominus Estate 2013 Proprietary Red Blend Napa ValleyIn 1981, Christian Moueix, then the owner of Chteau Ptrus in Pomerol, founded this winery on the western edge of the Yountville appellation and began producing red blends that, in their best years, effortlessly capture the magnificence of topflight Bordeaux. The 2013 has that potential; the growing season was widely considered to be nearly perfect and delivered wines with the optimal ripeness and beautiful depth of flavor that are characteristic of Napa Valley. In short, the 2013 undoubtedly has a bright future.The wine is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc.- All of the vines are dry-farmed with sustainable farming methods, which Moueix believes yields stronger vines that can be harvested earlier.- It has highly concentrated aromas of black fruit, cedar, cacao nibs, tobacco, and violets, while being dense and creamy on the palate with seamless tannins.Dominus Estate,dominusestate.com($200)Rhys Vineyards 2013 Pinot Noir Swan Terrace Santa Cruz MountainsWhen Kevin Harvey left the lucrative software industry, he set out to make the best wines the Santa Cruz Mountains could produce. All the stars aligned. Through aptly chosen clones, a cool climate, and precise winemaking, he produces remarkable Pinot Noir. His 2013 Swan Terrace displays incredible aromas of wild berries, forest floor, black tea, and luscious spicesa classic, intense Pinot Noir perfume that is typically found only in a Grand Cru Burgundy.- The 1.5-acre Swan Terrace vineyard is about 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean, just south of Half Moon Bay.- Made using 100% whole clusters, the wine is aged in a combination of new and used French oak.- Winemaker Jeff Brinkman works closely with Kevin Harvey and vineyard manager Javier Tapia to pick the grapes at ideal ripeness, which generally keeps his wines between 12 and 13.5% alcohol. This bottling is 12.2%.Rhys Vineyards,rhysvineyards.com($99)See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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