.boasts an opaque purple color, followed by thick, dense, black cherry and cassis flavors nicely dosed with high quality, smoky oak. Made primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), with the balance Merlot, the wine is full-bodied, with impressive extraction and purity. There remains tannin to shed in this high class, beautifully endowed and structured wine that should be at its best between 2000-2025.

.reveals the Howell Mountain terroir in its earthy, violet, black currant/crème de cassis fruitiness. It possesses high tannin, and a linear, medium to full-bodied personality with plenty of firmness, grip, and structure. Lay this one away for the next 4-5 years, and enjoy it over the subsequent two decades!

It is an accessible, multi-layered wine with tons of licorice and black fruit flavors, a voluptuous texture, and an expressive, flamboyant personality that offers even more rich fruit than it does toasty oak. At 14.2% alcohol, this is a boldly-styled, fleshy, full-bodied wine that can be drunk or cellared for 15 years.

...gets my nod over the 1996, simply because it is a richer, more multidemnsional wine with excellent vibrancyto its smoky, cherry fruit flavors.

...a dead ringer for a high class Burgundy. This wine exhibits a smoky, honeyed citrus, orange rind, lusciously fruity personality with underlying minerals. Add to that impressive delineation that is rare for a wine if this richness and size. Still youthful and backward, it promises to evolve gracefully for 2-5 years.

The 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon, much like its Merlot counterpart, is even more powerful and fuller-bodied, with impressive levels of extract, as well as a forward, low acid, richly fruity character emphasizing plenty of smoke, chocolate, black cherry, and cassis fruit. Despite its preciousness, this Cabernet is a candidate for 15+ years of cellaring, although it will be drinkable upon release.

Although unevolved and grapey, it reveals enormous density of fruit, richness, and concentration. A real powerhouse, with no hard edges, it possesses low acidity and layers of fleshy, glycerin-imbued Zinfandel fruit. It should drink well for 7-8 years.

.medium to full-bodied, elegant wine with high tannin, plenty of power and richness (primarily minerals and cassis), but it is unevolved and extremely backward. This wine has impressive raw materials, and should round into shape with another 5-7 years of cellaring. It will no be the most flattering style of Cabernet, but for true wine aficionados who have the discipline to wait, it holds considerable promise.

...to be a promising white Graves look-alike. It is primarily Sauvignon Blanc, but there is a healthy dose of Semillon added to fatten the wine, and give it a creamier texture. It is a boldly-styled, pure, lush, medium to full-bodied dry

The opaque plum-colored 1995 Merlot is a thick wine with compelling scents of roasted coffee, chocolate cake, smoky oak, and rich, jammy fruit. A blend of 84% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 1% Cabernet Franc, this wine is ideal for drinking now and over the next dozen years.

The 1995 Chardonnay offers a Burgundian-like earthy, mineral personality, with smoked hazelnut, rich, buttery popcorn, and tropical fruit scents. The wine is medium to full-bodied, rich, and well-delineated by zesty acidity in addition to the influence of high quality French barrels.

.copious quantities of tropical fruit intermixed with butter, honey, and toasty oak. In the mouth, this spicy wine reveals excellent balance, honeyed citrus and fruit cocktail-like flavors, and a lush, rich, fleshy, personality.

...is a terrific example of this varietal. It offers up copious quantities of raspberry, black cherry, briery fruit with smoky, toasty new oak in the background. Dense and full-bodied, wonderful exuberance and lushness, it should drink well for 3-4 years.

.explosive fruit, an opulent texture, big, thick, fleshy, low acid flavors with outstanding richness, and a spicy, rich concentrated finish with the tannin and acidity buried beneath an avalanche of chewy fruit.

...smells like blackberry liqueur. Deep, with sweet tannin, low acidity, and gobs of fruit, it is a sexy, seductive Syrah that should drink beautifully during its first decade of life.

.exhibits an opaque purple colr, accompanied by a smoky, mineral, cassis, and roasted olive-scented nose, and dense, fulll-bodied flavors with abundant black fruit, licorice, and smoke.

The wine reveals the ripe fruit their Alexander Valley vineyard achieves. The use of heavily toasted Demptos barrels and indigenous yeasts for fermentation give these wines provocative aromatics. The Cabernet Sauvignon is built along the line of the Merlot, offering a hedonistic mouthful of fleshy, rich, briery, dense, berry, smoky, and herb-tinged fruit. Full-bodied, with a lashing of sweet tannin, this lusty, decadently rich, flamboyant Cabernet Sauvignon should drink well for 12-15 years.

...exhibits a smoky, tropical fruit-scented nose, followed by rich, roasted herb, intensely honeyed fruit flavors. The wine possesses good underlying acidity, excellent purity, and a long, lush, hedonistic finish. Drink this delicious, complex Chardonnay over the next several years.

...appears to be marginally superior to its 1996 counterpart. The medium ruby-colored 1995 displays a Burgundy-like black cherry, earth, herb, and smoky-scented nose, excellent richness, good texture, and a clean, refreshing finish.

...offers a light golden color, an excellent, toasty, smoky, tropical fruit-scented nose, bold, rich, nicely-textured flavors, medium body, and a longer finish than the regular bottling. Nevertheless, I would also opt for drinking this wine over the next year.

...reveals a beautiful premier cru Beaune-like nose of kirsch, sour cherries, and spice. The wine possesses excellent concentration, medium body, and crystal clear focus and purity. This fresh, vivacious Pinot should drink well for 3-5 years.

...possesses a smoky barrel component that may be concealing some of the wine's tomato/herbaceousness. It displays good ripeness, attractive strawberry, cherry, and cranberry-like fruit, tangy acidity, and a spicy finish. It should drink well for 3-4 years.

...displays a dnse ruby/purple color, followed by an alluring blackberry and cassis-scented nose with notes of smoke, tar, and pepper. In the mouth, it is medium-bodied and round, with a lush texture and an easy to understand personality. The finish is all silky tannin and ripe fruit. This forward-styled Syrah should be consumed over the next 7-8 years.

...offers excellent aromatics (tropical fruits, spice, butter) with medium body, and a good attack with pineapple, mango, and melon-like fruit. At the back of the palate, the wine is a bit short, but this is still a showy Chardonnay to drink over the next year.

.a berry-laden wine with good aromatics, a supple texture, medium body, and adequate acidity.