62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color.  The nose is dusty with cassis, tobacco, and slight cherries.  On the palate, this has cassis and cedar over some tobacco and clay.  Nicely layered, this wine is drinking great right now.  Another Napa Cab that drinks like older Bordeaux with some years.  If you like mature wines, this is at peak, if you like fruit powerhouses, this is past.  It is balanced and very food friendly.  Drink up.  

Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, tobacco, it is slightly dusty and cedar.  On the palate, this still has some tannins left and plenty of fruit but is fully mature.  Cassis with some black olives.  This seems like a good bottle.  There is a nice complexity to it.  Very smooth.  Very food friendly.  Blind, i think most people would guess mature Bordeaux.  Of course, with a wine of this pedigree, there is always a lot of anticipation, but I think this is probably the wine producers were trying to  make back in 1997.  It succeeds at that if a very different wine from most 1997's.  

76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 3% Petite Verdot, 2% Malbec.  Purple in color, slight ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty and warm with cassis and spice.  Soft texture.  Good acidity.  Nice cassis fruit with an underlying earthiness.  Some plums on the finish.  Nicely layered, it unwinds in the glass.  It seems open but then keeps on opening more.  Still some upside here.  

This has really come into its own and is drinking quite well right now.  Still youthful and not yet at peak though.  Purple in color.  The nose is bigger and excellent with cherries, violets, black olives, black raspberries, slightly meaty and spice.  On the palate, this is primary but deep.  it starts to open in the glass but still needs a few more years.  Lots of concentrated black raspberry fruit, cherries with just a bit of earth and spice.  Nice balance.  Long finish.  It needs heartier foods right now but should last for another 12 to 15 years at least.  

Ruby in color, purple at the core.  The nose has cherries and black olives.  With air some black raspberries come out along with a bit of spice.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  This bottle seems like it is at or perhaps ever so slightly past peak (of course bottles vary).  nice complexity with layers of cherries, raspberries and spice with a slight dry earthiness.  Great balance.  It has an elegance that many 2007's do not have.  Great with foods of all kinds.  

Older wines can be a crap shoot.  At the same time, it's always a privilege to get to try them and to accept what they have to offer.  This was not a perfect bottle but it was quite good.  The color is great.  Mostly deep ruby/purple with a bit of lightening at the rim but not really bricking.  The nose is very nice if showing a bit of an oxidized note.  Slightly meaty with some cassis and tobacco.  A bit of funk.  In short - old Bordeaux.  On the palate, there is some cassis and cherry fruit.  The acidity is pronounced at this point but not intolerable (depending on your tastes).  Food cer

From a Magnum.  Pretty etched bottle/label.  Purple in color.  The nose is dusty with cassis and a bit of rosemary.  On the palate, there is cassis with some plums on the finish.  This is deep and concentrated and seems to be drinking at about peak right now.  It starts out with tight layers in the glass and then opens very quickly.  Good finish.  Works well with heartier foods.  No hurry, but no reason to wait to open a bottle.  

In later vintages, this carries the Gran Selezione designation.  This is one of, if not the top Chianti.  It is better than most Brunellos.  Of course, it costs more than most Brunellos too.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  What a great nose.  A bit smokey with cherries, macerated cherries, some forest floor/tea leaves and slight spice.  Still tight and tannic on the palate.  It opens in the glass to show cherries, spice and black cherries.  This needs time for sure, maybe another three to five and it will be good for a decade or maybe two after that.  This is a great wine that can equal

Silvery gold in color.  The nose has slight baked bread and slight citrus.  A nice head of lots of tiny bubbles.  On the palate, this is all about minerality and smoothness.  There is some citrus.  Great length on the finish.  This is incredibly versatile with food although hearty meats might be pushing it.  Great on its own as well.  Seems like this is a step up from the 2004.  

Deep ruby in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty with black raspberries.  Good acidity.  On the palate there is nice boysenberry fruit.  Lots of fruit with an underlying char.  Good finish.  This is young and tight.  It comes across as more of a cooler climate Syrah.  It probably needs another five years to really strut its stuff and be good for a decade after that.  Lots of potential for upside here though it is excellent right now.