1999 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.  Number 12 on Wine Spectators Top 100 Wines of 2002! The 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is selected from their finest Napa Valley vineyards, sites that yield complex, long-lived wines. Each of these exceptional vineyards has a distinct personality – a combination of specific site, mesoclimate, soils, clonal selections and cultivation techniques -- that contributes layers upon layers of flavors to the wine. Opulent dark fruit notes of cassis, black cherry and berry reflect grapes grown on the deep soils of the Oakville bench. Nuances of spice, minerals, licorice and violet weave through the highly extracted, velvety flavors. We handcrafted the wine with a long maceration, 17 months of aging in new French chateau barrels, gentle barrel-to-barrel racking, and bottling without filtration.

2004 Opus One. July 2005 Barrel Tasting Rated 92-94. Excellent structure, tannins and acidity, with sturdy currant, blackberry, fresh earth, mineral and a whiff of tar and tobacco. A remarkably complex and impeccably balanced young wine that flexes its tannic muscle on the finish.  Showing a lustrous dark ruby, the 2004 presents aromas of violets, cedar, black tea leaves, black pepper and brioche. A soft, creamy entry gives way to a concentrated mid-palate that expands in the mouth and lingers on the finish. Elements of cassis, toffee and cocoa round out the rich flavors of the wine. Intense fruit, bright acid and sturdy tannins promise resilience and longevity.