One of California's most historic wineries produces consistently good cabernet sauvignon from excellent vineyards in Rutherford, Mt. Veeder and Atlas Peak. This one is no less in quality. It shows off an opulent nose of dark berry, spice, oak and clove. There is an abundance of rich dark cherry fruit and long finish.

Aromas of black pepper, mint and smoky oak … lots of black fruit and spice. A Bordeaux-style blend that's barely a legal cab (25 percent of the wine is made up of the four other varietals), this well-balanced, full-bodied offering from one of Napa Valley's storied producers is a powerhouse. Though it could probably use a little more time to really shine, you won't be unhappy drinking a bottle now.

We really enjoyed the rich, deep flavors of this complex and delicious Napa Valley cabernet. Using grapes from the prized Atlas Peak and Mt. Veeder and Rutherford regions, the wine exudes plum and black cherry fruit, a touch of mineral clove and cedar. Full-bodied and long in the finish.

With its oak-infused blackberry and blueberry flavors, this is a smooth Cabernet for drinking soon. It's a little sweet and modest in complexity, but shows plenty of elegance.

Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosché is a Napa Valley Classic I’ll admit that I spend my wine days and nights in New York chasing the obscure. Bring me all your wonderfully weird wines! Sometimes, though, this is at the expense of the classics. Case in point would be the Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosché. I had the pleasure of tasting this wine with Ted Edwards, director of winemaking. He’s been responsible for the wines at Freemark Abbey for over three decades. Now that’s a hell of a tenure. After a very nice 2016 Chardonnay (extremely satisfying for $30) we dove into two library wines. The 2003 was in an outstanding place. I have to confess to not liking super-old wines. OK, if you want to open a top Bordeaux from 1945, 1961, 1982, etc. for me I would be absolutely delighted. But in general I do not like wines that have lost all their fruit, particularly white wines. So at 15 years, this wine was perfect. Plenty of primary fruit flavors with a blend of those secondary, more savory characteristics that only come with bottle age. The decade-old 2008 was remarkably youthful.

Ripe, rich and fruity, with an acidic tang to the cherry and raspberry fruit. A little simple in sour candy tastes, but likeable for dryness and acidity. Give it a good decant, or try cellaring.

Cedar, vanilla and spice aromas. Full-bodied cassis, pepper, herb and spicy black cherry notes on the palate with grainy, tight tannins on the finish. Well made.

It's hard not to enjoy the plush, luxurious texture of this juicy Bordeaux-like blend of cabernet sauvignon (80 percent), merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec. The black cherry and plum fruit is sweet on the palate and is accompanied by vanilla and spice notes.

This firm, fairly vibrant moderately fruity young wine draws back a bit as far ripeness goes and keys on spry, lightly briary, black-cherry fruit. While its tannins are tame, it shows a bit of acid-pushed on the back end and will be much improved by a few years of rest in the bottle.

Looking for a delicious, full-bodied cab? Here it is. Opulent blackberry and chocolate aromas with hints of clove and rich cherry and cassis flavors.

Initially a bit closed, but opened to reveal aromas of dark berry fruit, violets, spicy cinnamon and touch of chocolate. Flavors mirrored the nose with abundant ripe fruit qualities supported by firm-but-approachable tannins and notes of clove, new leather and cola nut.

Small amounts of merlot, cab franc, malbec, petit verdot and petite sirah are in the blend, which adds complexity. The ripe fruit grabs you first, but there are other subtle flavors lurking in the background - vanilla, cedar and mint - and the tannins are well-integrated.

Small amounts of merlot, cab franc, malbec, petit verdot and petite sirah are in the blend, which adds complexity. The ripe fruit grabs you first, but there are other flavors lurking in the background - vanilla, cedar and mint - and the tannins are well-integrated.

Black cherry scents are joined in the aromas by background hints of currants, loam and briar all in good depth and proportion, and the wine, while not being pushy, delivers medium-depth, nicely balanced flavors that repeat its attractive varietal themes. A bit dry and tannic as it finishes, this one can grow with age.

We loved the intense, complex flavors of this powerful cabernet sauvignon. It has loads of blueberry, cassis and cola flavors with hints of cedar and chocolate.

A cab with firm tannins. Aromas and flavors of currant, black cherry, cedar and dark chocolate. Long finish.

Aromas and flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cedar and chocolate. Great integration. Nice mouth-feel. Long finish.

Vibrant blackcurrants, exotic spice overlay; juicy black fruits, lovely fresh acidity, gentle tannins, long, fresh finish. Very pretty. Up to 2 years.

Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosché is a Napa Valley Classic I’ll admit that I spend my wine days and nights in New York chasing the obscure. Bring me all your wonderfully weird wines! Sometimes, though, this is at the expense of the classics. Case in point would be the Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosché. I had the pleasure of tasting this wine with Ted Edwards, director of winemaking. He’s been responsible for the wines at Freemark Abbey for over three decades. Now that’s a hell of a tenure. After a very nice 2016 Chardonnay (extremely satisfying for $30) we dove into two library wines. The 2003 was in an outstanding place. I have to confess to not liking super-old wines. OK, if you want to open a top Bordeaux from 1945, 1961, 1982, etc. for me I would be absolutely delighted. But in general I do not like wines that have lost all their fruit, particularly white wines. So at 15 years, this wine was perfect. Plenty of primary fruit flavors with a blend of those secondary, more savory characteristics that only come with bottle age. The decade-old 2008 was remarkably youthful.

The day after his keynote address, Spurrier led a tasting at the CIA Greystone of current and older vintage wines from estates that participated in the 1976 tasting. My notes from my favorites appear below... The Napa Valley, Rutherford, Bosché, Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 has rich earthy aromas, round and spicy in the mouth and chewy tannins needing time to pull it all together. The 2002 Napa Valley, Bosché Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 shows how beautiful the 2014 can be when it does come together. This wine is seamless and balanced with cassis flavors with a note of dark chocolate and smooth with silky tannins.

This dry, crisp, floral white is not for all palates. It may take years to build up your experience to appreciate a complex wine like this — and when you do, it’s a revelation. It’s an intense perfume of honeysuckle, essence of orange, sweet lichee nut, coconut and the bitter pith of citrus. In the mouth, that floral, herbal quality translates into a pungent, bitter-sweet personality that totally sets it apart.

Napa Valley: pale yellow color, rich, with aromas and flavors of vanilla, apricots and tangerines.