Deep ruby in color.  The nose is slightly dusty with black cherries.  On the palate, this has ripe black cherries.  This seemed different than earlier vintages.  LVMH bought this winery in 2008 so perhaps a bit different in philosophy.   Not as concentrated and wild.  It is a very good wine that will work with a wide variety of foods.  

An excellent bottle but not one of the better vintages of Numanthia.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has clay, dust and plenty of black cherries.  A bit thinner in body than other vintages.  Nice black cherry fruit on the palate.  Drinking fine right now.  Very food friendly for a wide range of foods.  

Of course, 2003 was an extremely hot vintage all across Spain.  Some wines were over ripe while in other cases, the vines simply shut down causing under ripe wines.  No worries here.  This wine was excellent.  Deep ruby in color if a bit flat.  The nose is interesting.  Dusty with cherries and black cherries and a hint of mint.  On the palate, this has lush black cherries.  Some initial heat but it smoothed out with a bit of air.  It is a bit riper than most vintages but not too much.  Drinking well now and for the next five to ten years.  

I seem to have had a lot of bottle variation with this one.  Or, given that this is usually the last bottle of the night, maybe it is palate variation.  In any event, this wine is always good to great and this bottle was in the middle.  Deep golden/orange in color.  The nose has honey and apricots.  On the palate, this is sweet but nowhere near cloying.  Enough acidity.  The honey notes come thru and pick up peaches.  Nice finish to the wine and to the evening!

Another Washington wine that was nice to try.  97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petite Verdot.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with cassis, some chocolate, a bit of blueberries and spice.  On the palate, this has a lush texture.  It is tight but with air opens in the glass.  Cassis and blueberry fruit with spice and oak.  It needs a few years and will probably improve by a point or two.  Nice finish.  It is concentrated but a big wine and will need bigger foods or great on its own.  

Always a pleasure to try on of the older stalwarts of Napa Valley.  While this might not have the cache it had 30 years ago, it still is one of the best wineries in Napa.  And this is one of the better values for Napa Cabernet.  Purple in color.  The nose is lovely with cassis, dust, slight tobacco and spice.  On the palate, this is full bodied with nice lush fruit.  Firm tannins still, this probably could have used a decant.  Nice cassis fruit over spice and slight charred earth on the palate.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  Will work with bigger or bolder foods.  Perhaps some upside to cell

This is at the beginning stages of being ready to drink.  It probably should have been decanted, but, so it goes.  Deep ruby (dark for Barolo) in color.  The nose is really interesting with cherries, soy sauce, slight tar and anise.  On the palate, this has firm tannins.  Black cherry and cherry fruit with a nice char underneath.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This worked quite well with a pasta dish (duh).  It should easily go another decade and closer to two.  While at one time this was a very modern Barolo, at least this vintage seems a bit more restrained or perhaps the oak and tannins h

Purple in color.  The nose has nice cassis, dust, cherries and slight green bell pepper.  On the palate, this has medium tannins.  Good cassis fruit over a dry earthiness.  Light tannins.  The bell pepper is only on the nose.  This has some complexity at this point.  Good finish.  Not uber ripe but certainly not under ripe either.  Drinking well, it may possibly still improve with further cellaring.  Will work better with bigger or spicy foods but is ok on its own.  64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, 5% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty with some black cherries and cigar box.  On the palate, there is some black cherry fruit.  No tannins to speak of.  Not much depth but some complexity.  Good acidity.  Classic aged Bordeaux although given the pedigree, more was expected.  Still, a fine wine to serve with dinner.  It is probably past prime and these should be drunk  up.  

Wow.  My first time trying this wine and it is spectacular.  Purple in color with a slight ruby rim.  The nose has toast, black raspberries and black pepper.  With air notes of soy sauce and black olives emerge.  Full bodied but this lovely silky but powerful texture.  On the palate, this has great boysenberry fruit with an underlying minerality.  It is deep and complex and persistent on the palate.  It is also delicious.  Long finish.  This will easily continue to improve for a decade and be good for another decade or two after that.  It worked great with a spicy pasta dish but would work