cabernet sauvignon pg 21 champagne pg 34 the year in review pg 37best wines of the year pg 38

december 2011

When you think about it, it is our fault. The reason why so many wineries release their expensive bottlings during the Holiday Season is that we buy the stuff and we drink it as part of our celebra-tions. We start celebrating, if fine wine sales are any indication, sometime before Thanksgiving and we don’t stop until after the first of the year. It is easy to understand the November and December splurges, but it is always surprising when local retailers report that things went well in January. Surely, we must have been ready to slow down. Maybe our spending urges were simply running on adrenalin by then.

Cabernet Sauvignon is, by far, the most expensive, widely available wine we make in California. There are hundreds of separate bottlings with price tags in excess of $100, and as we note in the Cabernet Sauvignon comments below, their numbers are growing. Champagne is expensive as well, yet it too seems well able to command the prices that are attached to it. Whether either of these cat-egories is worth the money is not the topic here. The marketplace determines whether prices are too high, and so far, it tells us that elevated price has not killed off either category.

There is an argument, a very solid argument at that, to be made that Cabernet Sauvignon is no longer the most successful red wine in California. That moniker may well be claimed these days by Pinot Noir. But, if Pinot has a legitimate claim, it is a somewhat tattered one given that Cabernet still sells for higher prices despite the fact that there is more of it around. Maybe it is the ageworthy factor or maybe it is just the hangover from a century and more in which Cabernet has unquestion-ably been the dominant grape.

We too often use the term “champagne” generically to mean any wine with bubbles, but the fact is that Champagne, the wine that comes from that region east of Paris, is a very specific wine with a very strong and positive cachet. That its prices are high relative to its equivalent American competi-tion is not a new phenomenon given the dollar/euro exchange rates of the recent decade, but com-parative price not withstanding, real Champagne is still the tipple with the reputation and its existence is at least partially responsible for the Holiday season wine-spending surge.

It has been a difficult year in the vineyards but a tasty year on our tasting table. The problems for the grapes and the excitement generated by the wines in the marketplace are chronicled in this two-part report.

Champagne

Cabernet Sauvignon

Why Are The Holidays So Expensive?

Year In Review & Wines and Wineries of the Year

CONNOISSEURS’ GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA WINE [ISSN 0161-6668] is published monthly at 651 Tarryton Isle, Alameda, California 9450l and is available only by subscription. Periodicals postage has been paid at Alameda, California and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to CONNOISSEURS’ GUIDE, Post Office Box V, Alameda, CA 94501. ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED.

© 2011 by CONNOISSEURS’ GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA WINE, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Publisher/Editor: CHARLES E. OLKEN. Associate Editor: STEPHEN ELIOT. Winery and Subscriber Relations: THERRY L. OLKEN. The Guide is printed at the Pinnacle Press, Hayward, California, on recycled paper. December 2011.

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Connoisseurs’ Guide Subscriptions include our complete online data base of past issues and reviews and also provide access to each new issue in print via downloadable pdf from our website. One-year subscriptions are available for $90. Two-year subscriptions are offered for $160.

AVAILABILITY

3 Generally available in most market areas.

1 Limited production and/or limited geographic distribution.

O Very limited availability.

GV Good Value

S Soft and fruity wine. Quaffable by itself or with light foods.

F Crisp white. Medium acid and dry. Fish or delicate flavored foods.

C Mellow white. Dry to slightly sweet. Enough acid for white meats.

l Full and balanced dry White. Try with rich seafood and fowl dishes.

L Light Red and powerhouse White. Fowl, veal and light meats.

B Medium Red. Balanced, good depth, medium tannin. Beef and lamb.

T Robust Red. Full tannin, intense flavors. For highly spiced meat dishes.

d Sweet Dessert wine. Enjoyable by itself or with sweet desserts.

DRINKABILITY

D Drinkable now. Unlikely to improve with further aging.

I Drinkable now. Further bottle aging can improve this wine.

A Cellar for future drinking. Wine will improve with bottle aging.

U Not suitable for drinking.

OUTSTANDING WINES CHARACTERISTICS & TRADITIONAL USE WITH FOOD

Tasting Note Legend

NOTE: Wines not marked with stars are often delightful wines. Each has unique virtues and any of these wines may be the best wine to serve your needs based on value, availability or for your dining and taste preferences. *Prices – Approximately California full retail prices.

Connoisseurs’ Guide tastings are conducted with Stemware.

*** THREE STARS: (95-98 points) An exceptional wine. Worth a special search of the market.

** TWO STARS: (91-94 points) A highly distinctive wine. Likely to be memorable.

* ONE STAR: (87-90 points) Fine example of a type or style of wine. Without notable flaws.

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This Issue of Connoisseurs’ Guide brings mixed messages to Cabernet Sauvignon fanciers. First the good news: your local wine merchant is unlikely to run out of your favorite tipple. And, there is more good news: while the highly acclaimed vintage of 2007 has led into a series of cooler

vintages, the Cabernets of 2008 have been, so far, of far higher quality than expected—so not only will the market be awash in Cabernet, it will be awash in good Cabernet. And now for the other side of the story. The economic hard times have not discouraged Cabernet producers from adding an increasing number of very high-priced wines to the market place. The retail marketplace may not run out of Cabernet, but it is going to ask you to pay increasingly higher amounts for wines whose price tags run counter to the notion that this country is in the midst of an economic slowdown. Whether some of these wines will become the highly discounted leftovers of the Spring clearance sales is too early to tell, but we would not be surprised given the sharp rise in costly bottlings.

There are reasons why price seems to be going in the opposite direction of the economy. Over the three decades and more during which we have covered the California wine scene, Cabernet Sauvignon prices have always tracked in unison with those for red Bordeaux and typically at some level of discount. The same phenomenon continues. Virtually all well-regarded Bordeaux wines, those with on-going cachet for collectors, sell for well over $100. Even the few that dip under the three-digit level are not far under, and they tend to be wines that have lots of production. The upper end of the California Cabernet market is admittedly a mixed bag. For every Phelps Insignia that is made in productions that measure in the thousands of cases, there are ten wines that measure in the low hundreds of cases. This Issue finds a very high rating (three stars/96 points) being accorded to the Moone-Tsai Cor Leonis 2008 bottling. This superb wine is well worth searching out despite its price tag of $175 and its limited supply (under 300 cases). But if you can’t find it, or other such limited production beauties like the new Black Cordon bottlings or Altvs or Corison Kronos Vineyard, you can always seek out Rubicon Estate or Duckhorn 2008 Napa Valley (a relative bargain, by the way, at $65).

The problem, of course, is that making fancy Napa Valley Cabernet is not all that difficult. If a producer is of that bent, it seeks out the best sites, hires a successful winemaker as consultant, takes care to make clean, well-extracted wine and ages that wine, as in done in Bordeaux, in fancy oak barrels for eighteen months—give or take a few. If the wine has turned out well, and especially if it is in limited production and the winery has a few willing retailers in its corner, it can sell this fancy stuff for fancy prices. At overachieving prices, the profits will go a long ways towards keeping the winery in business. Several wineries have privately admitted that their three-digit Cabs produce up to half their profits while accounting for far less than ten percent of their production. Ultimately, of course, it is the marketplace that speaks. And it is not just because Bordeaux is highly priced. California Cabernet, the good and fancy stuff, sells at high prices because the consumers want it. It represents still the most sought after wine we produce here in California. The good news is that there is plenty of it available. The bad news is that demand is so high for the top California Cabernets that they are very, very pricey and that bargains are few and far between. That is where CGCW comes in. You will find plenty to drink at more affordable prices, but those wines are the exceptions to the rule. Read on.

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conceived Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at a price point not crowded with contenders. 1 B A $35.00

* it ANCIENT PEAKS Paso Robles 2009It is increasingly difficult to find good Cabernet under $20.00, but this well-made bottling fills the bill. It leads with attractive aromas of ripe currants, cream and a hint of raspberry, and its nicely fruited flavors exhibit surprising richness and depth. It is finished with an edge of grippy tannins and gets a bit coarse as young Cabernet can, but its fruit stays the course, and it has the substance and depth to comfortably age for five or more years.GOOD VALUE 3 B A $17.00

ir ARBIOS Alexander Valley 2006Hints of dill, dried flowers and cedar sit lightly atop a narrow bit of raspberry-like fruit in the nose of this wine, and the flavors that follow are similarly fruity and narrow with oak closing in at the finish. Fairly firm and temperate in ripeness, it is a Cabernet for drinking in the mid-term. 1 B I $30.00

ir ATLAS PEAK Napa Valley 20073% Merlot; 3% Malbec; 3% Cabernet Franc; 1% Petit Verdot. Atlas Peak Cabernets have never been noted for showing much in the way of early polish, and this tough, tannin-bound effort is no exception. It is tight and woodsy and more spicy than fruity, but it is also a long way from maturity. We would be happier if it were not quite so astringent, and it will test all but the most patient Cabernet fans. 1 B A $35.00

iq ATLAS PEAK Howell Mountain Napa Valley 2006This bottling begins on a most promising note with fairly deep aromas of well-ripened fruit, plenty of oak and a marked note of briary spice, but it splits asunder on the palate with ruinous tan-nins taking charge, and its brutal astringency seems fixed for the ages. 1 B A $86.00

ip ATLAS PEAK Spring Mountain District 2006Napa Valley. Every bit as tough and tongue-curing in tannin as its mate from Howell Mountain, this hard and unyielding wine is largely absent of evident fruit, and an odd note of staleness only compounds its woes. It is hard to see how its fortunes will change with time. 1 B A $86.00

** jm BEAULIEU Georges de Latour Private Reserve 2008Napa Valley. Beaulieu has hit the gong again with its flagship bottling. Its ripeness and high oak may offend some, but they do not hide the wine’s so very handsome Rutherford character with its reliance on currants, black cherry and sweet loam with, in this case, nuanced notes of tea leaf, sweet spice and rich soils. Full on the palate, supple and a touch fleshy in texture but never sloppy or hot, this wine is balanced at its heart and will make good use of its evident tannins to last a decade and more for those willing to allow it to reach its peak. 3 B A $115.00* it BIALLA Napa Valley 200910% Merlot. There may be a certain youthful simplicity about this wine’s juicy aromas and flavors, but there is a good sense of basic depth and richness as well, and, if sweet oak admittedly gets a bit ahead of all else at the moment, the wine’s balance and ample fruit mark it as one that has good potential for a few years of positive growth. 1 B A $125.00

* iu 12C Rutherford Napa Valley 2009Perhaps a little more governed by its ripeness than by the dense fruit that provides a beamy frame for its charry oak and loamy appointments, this full-bodied effort will finds lots of fans for its unmistakable richness and its supple, somewhat fleshy and easy-to-take texture. The wine is complex in its own way and certain to improve in the bottle for up to half a dozen years to come if given the chance. O B I $70.00

ip ADLER FELS Russian River Valley 2007Seemingly always short on central fruit from first to last, this one is clean and at least a bit focused on Cabernet’s briar and herb tendencies. It is, not, however, especially comfortable in its first palatal impressions where glyceriny roundness is joined by hints of greens and a somewhat gritty, tannic feel. Heat and a touch of something smoky shows at the end. 1 L I $20.00

** jm ALEXANDER VALLEY VINEYARDS Cyrus 2007Alexander Valley. 66% Cabernet Sauvignon; 23% Cabernet Franc; 6% Merlot; 5% Petit Verdot. More than once in the past, Cyrus has ranked with the better wines of its district, and this very deep, well-composed effort can make the claim again. It is wonderfully expressive with a full range of sweet oak and briary spice set against confident ripe-currant fruit, and its keen sense of balance makes it both age-worthy and surprisingly attractive now. We would opt for five years of aging if given the choice, but would not refuse a glass if poured with a well-marbled rib-eye steak tonight. 1 B A $60.00

iq ALEXANDER VALLEY VINEYARDS 2009Alexander Valley. This clean, slightly rounded, loosely cherry-like effort very much benefits from its youthful brightness, but its slight lack of stuffing, its somewhat blurry varietal focus and its gradual drift to a vague stemmy herbaceousness conspire to drop it back in the pack. 3 B I $22.00

* iu ALPHA OMEGA Napa Valley 200816% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Franc; 4% Petit Verdot. Its ample tannins may require a bit of forgiveness just now, but this deep and very flavorful youngster is loaded with concentrated, cassis-like fruit, and it succeeds despite its extra bit of astringency. A smattering of briar, a bit of forest-floor spice and plenty of rich oak work to add to its pleasures, but a goodly wait of some six to eight years is advised. 1 B A $84.00

** jn ALTVS Napa Valley 20088% Malbec; 2% Petit Verdot. Marked by an uncommon mix of freshness and high ripeness, this deep and impressively stuffed effort may be a bit of a showboat, but it is also long on focused Cabernet fruit, and its ample oak never threatens to become a scene stealer. Almost succulent just now, it is nonetheless very well-balanced, and its striking sense of stamina is the stuff of a wonderfully age-worthy wine that is a many years away from showing its best. 1 B A $70.00

* iu AMICI Napa Valley 200815% Cabernet Franc; 5% Merlot. We like this wine’s incisive blackcurrant fruit, and we like its sense of proportion. We like its sensible measure of neatly placed oak, and we like its deft com-bination of polish and structure. We like it more yet for its rea-sonable value, and it earns extra applause as a serious, well-

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* iu BJORN Howell Mountain Napa Valley 2008Omnipresent oak brings a strong streak of sweet spice to this supple, but sturdy, young Cabernet, and, while its effects are plain from beginning to end, they are countered by lots of well-defined fruit. Moderately full and framed in grippy tannins, the wine is presently a bit lacking in manners, but time is very much on its side. It has the structure and substance to make for very confident keeping, and it should find a little more style as the next four or five years pass. O B A $75.00

** jp BLACK CORDON Napa Valley 20074% Cabernet Franc; 3% Petit Verdot. Simply put, there is a lot going on here. With its deep, nicely extracted aromas of cassis, black olives, loam, clove and orange rind and juicy, fruit-filled flavors of currants and sweet oak, the wine might come across as a little more open than its age might predict, but it holds lots in reserve and has the youthful brashness of one that is waiting to find a more comfortable and complete middle age. Even if it is just starting to relax and to hint at softness to come, we would advise that you resist its many charms and allow it another four to six years to really shine. 1 B A $64.00

** jn BLACK CORDON Napa Valley 20084% Cabernet Franc; 3% Petit Verdot. This deep and very well-defined youngster proves that the winery’s attractive 2007 was no accident, and, like its predecessor, it expresses plenty of the complexity and curranty fruit of top-shelf Cabernet. It smacks of ripe olives and hardwoods and a suggestion of rich earth before withdrawing and letting youthful tannins have their say, and, if it is too tannic to be enjoyed soon, its lifeline is a long one and its fortunes appear well-assured. O B A $64.00

* iu BLUE ROCK Alexander Valley 2009Nicely measured oak lends a sweetening assist to keenly defined black cherry fruit every step of the way here. From its bright and well-focused aromas to its lively, long-lasting flavors, the wine is a neatly composed package and shows a fine sense of structure that bodes well for the future. It is a wine of beauty more than brawn, and it will gracefully grow for several years on the basis of balance alone. 1 B A $45.00

iq BLUE ROCK Alexander Valley 2008Scattered suggestions of ripe-berry sweetness nudge this one off the classic varietal track, and the wine’s combination of early glycerin and tangy, back-palate acids is similarly a bit outside of the usual Cabernet lines. It is a little too tannic and stiff to drink right away, but it offers little sense of just where it will wind up with aging. Keep an eye out instead for its far more attractive mate from 2009. 1 B A $45.00

ir BON ANNO Napa Valley 20088% Cabernet Sauvignon; 3% Petit Verdot; 2% Merlot. It may not be the deepest or the most complex Cabernet to be had, but this very amicable wine is juicy and fruity and enriched by a nice bit of sweet oak. While it is lightly tannic, it is also a touch rounded at the edges, and no more than a couple of years in

the cellar should do the trick. Its price is right in today’s market.GOOD VALUE 3 B I $20.00

** jm BON COEUR Cuvée Marilyn Napa Valley 200812% Merlot; 6% Petit Verdot; 5% Cabernet Franc. This deep and impressively filled wine is our easy pick as the best of the Bon Coeur bunch for its layered richness, it keen sense of fruit and its very fine balance. It is tannic, but no more so than young Cabernet Sauvignon should be, and its complex flavors show striking stamina and great length. It wants to be left alone for no fewer than half a dozen years, and we expect it to be alive and delicious for a decade or more. O B A $55.00

* jl BON COEUR Reserve Napa Valley 200811% Merlot; 2% Petit Verdot. Ripe, well-defined Cabernet fruit sits at the heart of this liberally oaked effort, and the wine is on the fairly accessible side for one so young. It is supple, fairly full-bodied and fleshy in feel with but a modest backing of tannin, and, while never so soft as to want for spine, it is a wine whose best days likely lie in the mid-term rather than a decade down the line. O B A $65.00

* jl BON COEUR Reserve Red Wine Napa Valley 200774% Cabernet Sauvignon; 23% Merlot; 3% Malbec. Beginning to develop just enough that its primary fruit has acquired early aspects of complexity in briary, woodsy spice overlays to currants and dark chocolate, this full-bodied and wholly ripened effort is supple and noticeably smoothed on the palate. Its flavors come with more than enough fruit to fill it in at every turn, and if it is not one for long cellaring, it will serve well now and for the next several years alongside rich beef roasts. O B I $85.00

* iu BON COEUR Cuvée Marilyn Napa Valley 200770% Cabernet Sauvignon; 13% Merlot; 12% Cabernet Franc; 5% Malbec. Somewhat related to its vintage sibling in its plush, open early texture, this wine becomes a touch more tannic in the late going and will want a bit more aging to come into its own. Withal, it has the same sense of initial development and lots of the underlying fruit that makes its partner so attractive. Three to five years of aging would be about right. O B I $65.00

ir BON COEUR Oakville Napa Valley 2008Although we find this bottling getting things right with regard to solid Cabernet aromatics, it turns out to be a bit underplayed on the palate and wanting for more fruity substance. Its obvious tannins seem more aggressive for lack of fully buffering extract, and its flavors dry and drift a bit at the end. Time on the cork will undoubtedly help, but just how much is uncertain, and the wine will need to fill out and find a little more flesh if it is to win unqualified recommendation. O B A $90.00

ir CALCAREOUS York Mountain 2007Ripeness figures prominently here, a little too much it may easily be argued, and the wine is nothing if not big and bold. In the end, however, it is dragged down by toughening tannins and heat, and, even with age, it will demand drinking with the very heartiest foods. 1 T A $34.00

iq CA’ MOMI Napa Valley 2008On the positive side of its balance sheet, this bottling counts a decent measure of ripe-cherry fruit, but it is notably lacking in

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life and comes across as comparatively soft and sluggish in feel. Despite its modest alcohol (indicated to be13.9%), its essential message is one of high ripeness, and the time for drinking up is now hard upon us. 1 B D $20.00

iq CARMENET Collection Reserve California 2009If fairly light when measured against its bigger, more ambitious cousins, this clean and unassuming middleweight manages to muster a bit of well-defined Cabernet fruit nonetheless. It is a firm, mildly tannic effort that takes on a coarse edge at the end, and, while it does not suggest great complexity if aged, it does a good job at the price and will keep for a couple of years. GOOD VALUE 3 B I $12.00

* jl CASTELLO DI AMAROSA La Catellana 2008Napa Valley. 66% Cabernet Sauvignon; 16% Sangiovese; 18% Merlot. Here is a rich and multi-faceted red that brings together aspects of cassis, briar, coffee and toast in both its concentrated aromas and its deep, well-extracted flavors. It is not, however, a wine of great polish at this point, and it is one that comes with a call for patience. While it is bound up in very obvious tannins, it finishes with fruit to spare, and it will take upwards of six to eight years in the cellar before finding the manners to match its obvious generosity. 1 B A $70.00

* it CASTELLO DI AMAROSA Il Barone Napa Valley 2008Keenly focused on young, cassis-like Cabernet fruit and filled out by touches of black olive, briar and a wee bit of forest-floor spice, this ripe, fairly big-bodied effort is solid without being too brawny, and its integral tannins do not unduly interfere with its ongoing fruit. Its finishing coarseness commends a good half-decade of aging all the same. 1 B A $80.00

iq CASTELLO DI AMAROSA Napa Valley 2007Chocolaty ripeness more than defined fruit is the bearing upon which this one sets its course, and, while there is a good bit of richness to be found early on, the wine takes on dry, somewhat woody aspect and loses its way as alum-like astringency makes for a most difficult finish. 1 B A $49.00

iq CASTLE ROCK Columbia Valley 2009If this wine arguably comes across as being a bit soft and heavy, it is also quite a bit richer than Cabernets of its price usually are, and it exhibits a bit of mildly chocolaty, blackcurrant fruit. It is a little too tannic for simple quaffing, and it runs into some heat at the finish, but it affords reasonable value nonetheless.GOOD VALUE 3 B I $11.00

* jl CHALK HILL Estate Red Chalk Hill 200847% Cabernet Sauvignon; 28% Malbec; 15% Merlot; 6% Petit Verdot; 4% other. Intense, highly ripened and perilously close to being too much, this dramatic, big-bodied red blend hews to the no-holds-barred opulence that has become a signature trait of Chalk Hill’s wines of late. Those who hold that less is more will not find special pleasure here, but folk who fancy rich oak, ripe-ness and swagger need look no further. We admit that it is too hot for its own good and that we would not try pairing it with anything less than very flavorful foods, but when held for a few years and matched with savory, slowly braised lamb shanks, it has the potential shine brightly. 1 T A $70.00 * iu CHATEAU POTELLE VGS Napa Valley 200710% Merlot. Scattered suggestions of chocolate, cola, briar and toast heighten the interest and add to the range of this wine’s otherwise solidly currant-like aromas and emerge once again as welcome adjuncts to concentrated young fruit in its flavors. The

wine has both the suppleness and following grip that a good Cabernet should, and time in the bottle is certain to soften its youthful gruffness. 1 B A $75.00

ip CHATEAU POTELLE VGS Explorer Napa Valley 2007“The Illegitimate”. 39% Cabernet Sauvignon; 33% Merlot; 17% Zinfandel; 11% Syrah. It should not be surprising that this mix of grapes might produce a wine without any clear varietal message, but this one is plodding and heavy and fundamentally deficient in fruit of any kind with a bitter edge to its blunt and lackluster finish. O B I $37.00

* it CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE Meritage 2008Columbia Valley. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon; 36% Merlot; 6% Cabernet Franc; 6% Malbec; 1% Petit Verdot. A little less ripe and better focused on fruit than its mate from the Cold Creek Vineyard, this moderately full-bodied offering sports a fair dose of black cherries tied to toast and a hint of rooty spice. It begins on a supple note before turning to tannin, but it is not overly astringent, and its richness ensures at least four or five years of positive development. 1 B A $55.00

iq CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE Cold Creek Vineyard 2008Columbia Valley. More geared to ripeness and fairly unruly for what we would consider the Washington norm, this weighty wine layers a bit of herbs and olives and briary spice atop tannin and loosely defined fruit. It is rather dry and astringent, and its lack of central juice raises real questions for us about its ability to age into better. 3 B I $35.00

* it COL SOLARE Red Wine Columbia Valley 200775% Cabernet Sauvignon; 20% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Franc. Very much on a track that sees it veer away from its riper, more outgoing competition, the 2007 Col Solare is an interesting and comparatively refined Cabernet rather than one of power and punch. It hints of sweet spice, toasted herbs and a scant touch of milk chocolate, and its subtle cassis-like fruit is a steady if gentle presence. Acidity and nominal tannins provide plenty of spine, and, but for a slight lack of finishing strength, it would earn higher scores. 1 B A $75.00

* is COLUMBIA CREST H3 Les Chevaux 2009Horse Heaven Hills. 34% Cabernet Sauvignon; 34% Merlot; 18% Syrah; 10% Malbec; 4% other. Nicely ripened, a wee bit briary in tone and filled out with a pleasant touch of sweet oak, this rounded, ready to drink wine reminds of mannerly Merlot as much as anything else. It is minimally tannic yet steers clear of softness, and its modest price makes is doubly easy to like.GOOD VALUE 3 B I $15.00

ir COLUMBIA CREST H3 Horse Heaven Hills 20097% Cabernet Franc; 3% Syrah; 2% Malbec. Filling much the same niche as the wine above, the H3 Cabernet Sauvignon is a well-scrubbed middleweight that is rounded in feel, sweetened with oak, and it leans a little to ripeness. Its varietal tannins will keep it going for several years, but it is very drinkable now and should do the trick in washing down simply grilled meats.GOOD VALUE 3 B I $15.00

ir COLUMBIA CREST Reserve Columbia Valley 2008We expect that there will be those who like the comparatively lean and withdrawn style of this wine a little better than we do, but we would point to its tautness and the slight green streak that hides just behind its ripeness as limiting factors. They are what we notice first, and they are the things that will hold the wine back even with age. 3 B A $45.00

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io CONCANNON Conservancy Livermore Valley 2009Light in volume and drifting into green-bean like suggestions that push it wide of the mark, this medium-bodied effort is a touch spartan on the palate and empties out quickly towards the finish. Its lightness of foot unfortunately is not met by an equivalent rise in brightness level. 3 L D $18.00

** jm CONN CREEK Holystone Vineyard St. Helena 2007Napa Valley. Ripe and generous with black cherry fruit touched up by hints of dried currants, this wine also boasts notes of cola and of caramelly oak. Somewhat supple and full-bodied on the palate with good depth to its fruit-driven, noticeably ripe-leaning flavors, the wine is on the open side in flavors but still tannic in texture and will serve those looking for a rich, solid wine now. It is bound to soften in the next half decade and does not ask that you wait any longer than that. O B I $45.00

* iu CONN CREEK Stagecoach Vineyard Atlas Peak 2007Napa Valley. If its aromas start out on the ripe/narrow side, they quickly expand with airing to reveal deeper fruit and a far richer impression. Full and tannic on the palate despite a slight bit of softness underneath, this wine is going to need far more than a little forbearance in order to come into its own. We would see it aging half a dozen years to open up, but, even then it will have tannin to spare. O B A $45.00

* iu CONN CREEK Truchard Vineyard Carneros 2007Napa Valley. Nicely concentrated notes of cassis are joined by lighter touches of green twigs and cranberry in this wine’s nose, and the hint of something “twiggy” continues in the mouth. If built along the same lines as its mates when it comes to body, this one is a touch lighter on its feet and a touch less concentrated at the same time. O B I $45.00

* it CONN CREEK Rutherford Napa Valley 2008If just short of medium volume and concentration, this bottling comes equipped with notes of cassis and plums underlain by an enriching veneer of supportive oakiness. It is fleshy and slightly coarse in palatefeel with tighter balance and a bit less fruit than suggested by its aromas, and its dryish and gruff finish limits its chances for real grandeur. O B I $45.00

ir CONN CREEK Spring Mountain District Napa Valley 2007Same price, less stuffing in comparison to its mates above, this bottling features slightly narrow black cherry aromas with touches of briar and vanilla bean oak. Full on the palate, but astringent in the absence of compensating fruit and richness, this one adds to its own brand of confusion with a soft spot under its brawny tannic exterior. There is every reason to expect bottle age to help, but its siblings are the better options. O B I $45.00

iq CONN CREEK Napa Valley 2007Fairly modest in most of its parts save for ripeness, this blunt and somewhat stolid wine is never quite filled up with respect to fruit. It is clean and decently balanced, but it is a trifle dry in the

latter going, and as its finish fades away so do its chances for appreciable growth. 1 B I $25.00

** jm CORISON Kronos Vineyard Napa Valley 2007Very much adhering to the Corison style of mannerly and well-focused wines of precision, the 2007 Kronos trades muscle for grace but sacrifices little in the way richness or depth. It is not wildly tannic but is nonetheless structured for keeping, and, if always accessible and fairly light its feet, it will continue to grow and find a little more nuance and more polish yet as the years come and go. O B I $98.00

ir CORISON Napa Valley 2008Corison Cabernets are typically pulled back in ripeness and key on refinement, and they have justifiably earned a loyal following for just that. When at their best, they are well-composed wines of depth and polish, yet this one comes up wanting in richness and is more minimalist than is usually the case. While we might agree with those who argue that less can be more, sometimes it turns out that less is, in fact, less. 1 B I $70.00** jo CORLEY Yewell St. Helena Napa Valley 2008Incisively fruity, fully ripe and effusively oaky, but always well-measured and completely controlled, this deep and wonderfully expressive offering is rich, polished and precise all at once. Its supple feel and very careful construction come with the caveat of making it a little too easy to enjoy now, for its best days are ahead, and its long, focused finish is underlain by enough fine-grained tannins to guarantee at least six to ten years of positive development. It is one to wait on. O B A $65.00

* jl CORLEY Reserve Napa Valley 2008It may start fairly restrained and even a bit hesitant in the nose, but this noteworthy effort delivers deep and very rich flavors of layered Cabernet fruit and sweet oak. While optimally ripened and rather outgoing in taste, the wine seems to have plenty in reserve with the structure to grow into better. Its well-portioned tannins provide proper varietal grip without imparting dissuasive toughness, and, if a few years of aging will make things better, five or six will do so even more. O B A $72.00

* it CORLEY State Lane Vineyard Yountville 2008Napa Valley. Led in the nose by extracted, ripe-currant fruit and showing overtones of plum, creamy oak and dried herbs, this supple, moderately full-bodied working follows with fairly deep, like-minded flavors that lean ever so slightly to ripeness. Still, it keeps heat in check and is firmed up by nominal tannins, and, in the end, its persistent fruit carries the day and earns it easy endorsement. 1 B A $65.00* jl CROZE De Connick Vineyards Napa Valley 2008Here is a gutsy, old-fashioned Cabernet Sauvignon that steers clear of confection, and, if not a prettified version, it is a wine of real richness and strength. It juxtaposes plenty of extracted fruit with suggestions of tobacco, stony soils, hardwoods and cream, and it has the kind of fleshy substance that its sturdy, big-boned construction demands. It is very much gauged for the long haul, and it wants to be hidden away in a dark cellar for a good ten years or more. 1 B A $35.00

io CROZE DeConnick Vineyard Napa Valley 2005This wine may be late to market but it is not ready for prime time regardless of the patience shown by its maker. Very astringent on the one hand and dry and stiff at its heart on the other, it wants further aging but is not very likely to offer much by way of reward in exchange for such forbearance. The gamble here is too high, and we would counsel against it. 1 B A $38.00

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ir DANCING BULL California 20097% Merlot; 6% other. Cassis, blackberries and a subtle touch of herbaceousness in the nose set this one on the varietal track, and its mid-density flavors fall right in to step. Lesser in ripeness but always defined as Cabernet, the wine comes with no extra whistles or bells and is designed for drinking sooner than later, and it hits the mark nicely at its comfortable price.GOOD VALUE 3 B I $12.00

iq DANIEL GEHRS Central Coast 2009There is no questioning the varietal credentials of this fruity and faintly herbal Cabernet, but after starting out with a fairly well-focused nose, it picks up a slight confected edge that imparts an odd note of candy to its flavors. Its wispy sweetness is balanced by a bright spot of acid, and, given its youth, its disparate parts might yet coalesce. 1 B I $20.00

ip DARCIE KENT Madden Ranch Livermore Valley 200810% Syrah; 7% Merlot; 2% Petite Sirah. An odd amalgam of strawberries, green leaves and stems steers this thin and narrow wine away from any conventional varietal model. Its finishing bitterness counts as a real liability, and cellaring will do little to set it right. 3 B I $24.00

** jm DARIOUSH Napa Valley 20088% Merlot; 4% Malbec; 3% Cabernet Franc. More often than not, Darioush Cabernets are among those that take ripeness and rich oak to the limit, but the 2008 version seems to be ever so slightly reined in and is principally guided by lots of very well-stated fruit. There is plenty of oak, to be sure, and the wine is not wanting in ripeness, yet it is the balance and equanimity of its parts that makes it so attractive now, just as its solidity and structure and firm, finely fit tannins are the sure guarantors of great longevity. 3 B A $88.00

** jp DAVID ARTHUR Elevation 1147 Napa Valley 2008It is not all that common to come across a Cabernet that is as big and as polished at the same time as this one is, and, while a deep, optimally ripened and lavishly oaked effort, it exhibits a remarkable sense of careful composure and a fine fit of pieces. It is moderately tannic, to be sure, but there is never anything harsh or astringent about it, and firming acidity shows up in just the right place to guarantee a good future. Aging, in fact, is an absolute must here, and bringing this first-rate bottling to the table without waiting for at least five to eight years would be a bit of a shame. O B A $135.00

* it DAVID ARTHUR Meritaggio Napa Valley 200873% Cabernet Sauvignon; 18% Sangiovese; 7% Petit Verdot; 2% Cabernet Franc. Moderately intense scents of ripe cherries are met by those of caramel, cedar and dried herbs in both the nose and flavors of this easy-to-access effort, and, while tannins do come on at the finish, the wine does not back away from its immediate appeals. It tends ever so slightly to softness but will keep and improve for a few years. 1 B I $55.00

* is DAVID ARTHUR Estate Napa Valley 200811% Petit Verdot; 5% Cabernet Franc. Here is a tight and very solidly-structured offering that hits its varietal marks nicely in its blackcurrant-and-briar aromas and its vital, balanced flavors and

its appropriately sturdy Cabernet structure. It has a touch of flesh on its the bones, but the wine is nowhere near ready and needs to be aged for a half decade or more. 1 B A $95.00

* it DRY CREEK VINEYARD The Mariner Meritage 2007Dry Creek Valley. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon; 30% Merlot; 7% Malbec; 4% Cabernet Franc; 4% Petit Verdot. This nicely made Meritage is very much geared to the accessible, ripe-cherry traits of Merlot, and, while Cabernet contributes a bit of loamy spice and a slightly tannic edge, the overall effect here is one of real polish. A bit of acid jumps up at the end, but time will bring all of the wine’s pieces into alignment, and we recommend that it is allowed a few years of rest. 1 B A $40.00

** jn DUCKHORN Napa Valley 2008Although Cabernets from the 2007 harvest have earned plenty of justifiable praise, 2008 has its successes as well, and here is an instance where the younger wine reaches a bit further than its older mates. Bigger, richer and altogether more complex, this one is optimally ripened, beautifully oaked and simply brimming with continuous blackcurrant fruit. Its tannins are neither more nor less than good structure requires, and it looks good to go for another six to ten years. 3 B A $65.00

** jm DUCKHORN The Discussion Napa Valley 200760% Cabernet Sauvignon; 40% Merlot. This is not a wine that blows from the glass, nor is it one that will win admirers for its easy accessibility and immediate “sweetness”. It is, however, a quietly compelling one that slowly seduces as each sip and sniff seems to reveal more depth, more nuance and more layering than the last. Its richness is not reliant on runaway ripeness, and its ample underpinnings of tannin in no way make it austere or stern. Its first strength is that of plentiful, very pure fruit, but it is a wine that when cellared away has the pieces in place to grow for a generation. 1 B A $115.00

* it DUCKHORN Howell Mountain Napa Valley 2006Intriguing touches of dried flowers and a very handsome oak veneer lend a note of distinction to the solidly fruited and well-focused aromas of this sturdy young Cabernet. On the palate, the wine is supple and pliant to start, but it tightens and dries and takes on a slight acidy edge, and, while a fairly deep and flavorful wine, it is also a little austere and might remain so even as its ages. 1 B A $75.00

* is DUCKHORN Napa Valley 2007A little pulled-back when compared to past Duckhorn efforts, the 2007 Cabernet is a clean, somewhat supple, mid-sized wine with a good fix on ripe-cherry fruit. It might be best described as being just a bit narrow, yet, while it is not long on nuance or high in extract, it is a likeable, well-scrubbed working that will afford tasty drinking with simply grilled steaks during the next two to five years. 3 B I $65.00

iq EDGE Napa Valley 200915% Merlot. Quietly redolent of dusty soils, dried weeds and a hint of cinnamon, this lighter, somewhat sparsely filled wine is a bit thin in substance and winds up a little too tough and tight for its limited fruit. 1 B I $20.00

iq EDUCATED GUESS Napa Valley 20096% Merlot; 4% Cabernet Franc; 1% Petit Verdot. In between its oddly smoky, burnt-wood aromas and its hot, overly coarse finish, this wine manages to show a bit of plump, well-ripened fruit, but its decidedly uneven progression leaves it confused and in much need of focus. 3 B I $20.00

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* is ELYSE Morisoli Vineyard Napa Valley 2006With aromas that are spot on in their cassis, rich soils, caramel characteristics and flavors that have a hard time matching up to the sinew of its palatefeel, this wine very much reflects both the plusses and minus of the 2006 vintage for Napa Cabs. Only for fans with faith in the future, the wine is something of a gamble but should reward a bit of patience. 1 B A $60.00* it FAUST Napa Valley 200813% Merlot; 4% Cabernet Franc; 3% Malbec; 2% Petit Verdot. Although spicy oak jumps forward and is only slowly joined by mildly berry-like qualities in its nose, this likeable, well-ripened wine gets things right on the palate and shows a nice measure of moderately deep Cabernet fruit beneath its complement of sweet spice. It is medium-full-bodied and persists at the finish, and it more than makes up in varietal precision for what it lacks in bluster and sheer strength. 1 B A $50.00* iu FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA Archimedes 2007Sonoma County. This blend of Cabernets, both Sauvignon and Franc, exhibits ample cherry and blackcurrant fruit and is decked out with plenty of sweet oak. It is at once sweet and accessible but in no way excessive, and its richness comes without the cost of blatant ripeness or heat. It is supple in feel with a nice lift of last-minute acid, and its evident tannins make five years of age the smart choice. 1 B A $52.00* iu FRANK FAMILY Reserve Rutherford Napa Valley 20084% Cabernet Franc; 3% Petit Verdot. Sporting lots of richness, in the way that Frank Family Cabs tend to do, this full and fleshy opus picks up milk chocolate and caramel overtones while never losing sight of ripe black cherry fruit in the process. Its styling is shaded towards the rough hewn side, and while its tannins are not massive, so too are they not especially polished at this point. We would counsel pairing the wine with a grilled steak or a leg of lamb over the next few years. 1 B I $85.00* is FROG’S LEAP Rutherford Napa Valley 2008Somewhat on the quiet side in its aromas, the wine “carpes the diem” with the cassis-like focus of its lightly herb-scented fruit. It is medium-full in body and somewhat firm in feel from evident acidity that runs from entry to finish. Along the way, it delivers enough juice to keep itself in balance and to suggest that cellar aging will be of some value. 1 L I $75.00* it FUSE Napa Valley 20098% Syrah; 7% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Franc. This lively youngster is fresh and firm in a way that reflects the cooler 2009 season, yet it still musters more than a little well-defined, solidly varietal fruit. Its evident acidity provides brightness without being too tart, and a trim bit of oak adds its own twist of sweetness. If not overly tannic, the wine is still a bit tight at the end, and it will need three to five years before it grows out of its slightly gangly adolescence. 1 B A $25.00* jl GRGICH HILLS Yountville Selection Napa Valley 2007The Grgich embrace of restraint comes across very clearly, and, while a nicely ripened wine with a good bit of oak, this one is firm and fairly compact in build and stays away from excess. It is confidently focused all the way through to its nominally tannic, acid-edged finish, and, as Grgich wines are wont to do, it is one that will take to the cellar quite well. 1 B A $150.00

** jp HALL Segassia Vineyard Mount Veeder 2008Deep and wonderfully consistent in its delivery of currants and ripe-cherry fruit, Hall’s generously filled bottling from Segassia Vineyard manages to show a bit of complexity and nuance even while being big on ripeness and oak. It has plenty of weight and no small measure of tannin, but its impressions of integration and proportion set it apart from the crowd. If fairly flashy for a young wine, it demands patience, and it should be left in the cellar for up to a decade. O B A $150.00** jo HALL Bergfeld St. Helena Napa Valley 20087% Merlot. Solid, well-ripened fruit is comfortably tied to mildly caramelly oak in this rich and well-stuffed offering, and, while the wine presently lacks for a little polish, it behaves like good, young Cabernet Sauvignon should. Its ample tannin will subside with patient aging, and there is so much real fruity mass at its heart that we feel completely confident in predicting that it will handsomely reward another six to ten years of patient cellaring ...and maybe more. 1 B A $100.00* iu HALL Exzellenz Sacrashe Vineyard Rutherford 2008This big, broad, highly ripened opus is nothing if not overdone, yet while its opulence may strike some as excessive, others will revel in its richness and sheer size. It is awash in sweet oak and calls cola, root beer and caramel to mind, but there is a full dose of curranty Cabernet fruit underneath, and its substance is such as to effectively buffer its heat. Elegance is not among its virtues now nor do we expect it to be in the future, but it is sufficiently tannic and tough that extended time in the cellar is advised all the same. O B A $165.00

ir HAWK AND HORSE Red Hills Lake County 2007Despite putting a fairly good first foot forward and leading with a nice bit of solid, oak-enriched, curranty fruit in the nose, this one takes on a little too much acidy stiffness once in the mouth and grows increasing rigid and tough. Its structural bones stick out a bit more than they should, and we suspect that aging will help only so much. 1 B A $65.00

* it HENDRY Hendry Vineyard Napa Valley 2007If lacking in the flashy, succulent fruit and overarching richness that marks so many Napa Valley Cabernets, this one is built along tighter, somewhat leaner lines and comes with its own touches of the slightly angular edge of hillside-grown fruit. Fans of solid Cabs will find the minerally, soil-driven characteristics to be more than adequate recompense and will be willing to endure the five or more years of aging required. 1 B A $55.00iq HERITANCE Napa Valley 20088% Merlot. On the briary, woodsy side of the spectrum and less well-endowed with fruit at the same time, this medium-weighted wine hints at currants and vanilla bean in its less than compelling aromas. It is also a touch stiff on the palate at entry and turns to tough tannins towards the back. Its currant and cola inner focus make it drinkable but it needs to offer more to reach to the level of full commendation. 3 B I $28.00

* is HERZOG Special Reserve Napa Valley 2007This mannerly middleweight steers away from blatant oak and overt ripeness and instead embraces Cabernet’s mildly herbal

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side while showing a consistent complement of quiet, curranty fruit. Its tannins are modest, its edges are rounded, and it strikes a fairly accessible stance, and it will find useful service with food in the near term. 1 B I $38.00

ip HERZOG Special Reserve Alexander Valley 2008Quiet, not-quite-ripe, berryish fruit competes for attention with random suggestions of juniper, smoke and pepper first in the aromas and then again in the flavors of this slightly undersized Cabernet. In the end, slender turns into skinny, and the wine runs out of interest. 1 B I $38.00

ir HUGE BEAR Sonoma County 2008Huge is, in fact, the operable word here as this heavy, very full-bodied working is a no-holds-barred exposition of ripeness and size. It is thick and a bit heavy footed, and its chocolaty richness comes at the cost of summary heat. Those who believe that red wines can never be too big will find plenty to like. The rest of us, however, will cry “too much.” O B I $55.00

ip HUNNICUTT Napa Valley 2008Fairly sedate fruit sits behind overt oak in the nose of this tight and very reluctant wine, and, if youth is in part to blame, so too is a seeming lack of real substance. Firm, forcefully tannic and palpably hot at the finish, the wine is a bit out kilter with regard to balance and offers no clear promise that its fortunes will be appreciably bettered by age. 1 B A $48.00

* jl J. DAVIES Diamond Mountain District 2008Napa Valley. 12% Malbec; 4% Petit Verdot. Nicely focused, fairly deep, curranty fruit serves as the confident centerpiece of this well-crafted wine, and, if still a bit backward and nascent, it teases with complexing elements of briar and spice and neatly placed oak. While not overly tough, the wine is far from being ready any time soon, and its sense of solidity and seriousness tags it as one for the cellar. 1 B A $80.00

* is JOSEPH PHELPS Backus Napa Valley 2008It is not at all uncommon for the Backus bottling to be the more brusquely tannic and tighter of the two Phelps showcase wines, but in 2008 the difference is striking. Dark, dense and brooding with a smoky twist all its own, this hard and aggressively tannic wine is tilted so far to toughness that we wonder if it will right itself with age. There do seem to be good things lurking deep down in its heart, but a decade or two could pass before they emerge, and the very real chance that they never will makes this one an expensive gamble. 1 B A $250.00

* it J. RICKARDS Five Sisters Blend Alexander Valley 200978% Cabernet Sauvignon; 11% Malbec; 6% Petit Verdot; 4% Merlot; 1% Cabernet Franc. Top notes of cocoa, caramel and root beer serve as sweetening accents to solid blackcurrant fruit first in the nose and then again in the flavors of this nicely filled, well-focused wine. It pulls back a bit as moderate tannins work to dry out its finish, but, while it will be better with a few years

of age, it is still tasty now. 1 B I $34.00

* is KENWOOD Artist Series Sonoma County 20074% Malbec; 4% Merlot. Signs of cedary development are just beginning to show in the nose here, and fruit takes a quieter background role. The wine’s flavors follow suit and exhibit an edge of dryness before giving ground to back-palate acid, and, while not free of tannin, it is one that we would drink sooner rather than later. 1 B I $70.00

ip KENWOOD Jack London Vineyard Sonoma Valley 2008Sometimes tannin can hide a wine’s fruit, but sometimes a wine is just hollow, and the latter is sadly the case here. This bottling is handicapped by a real dearth of essential fruit, and it is never more than dry, hot and empty. 3 B I $30.00

* it KNIGHTS BRIDGE To Kalon Vineyard 2008Napa Valley. Cut from the same cloth as its beamy sibling, and differing only by its slight touches of loamy soil and cola in the nose, this decidedly flamboyant bottling pushes ripeness right to the limit and is absolutely awash in sweet oak. Like its mate, it is an immense, highly ripened, exceptionally full-bodied wine that will strike some as being over the top, but it does speak to Cabernet, if in its own particular voice, and it will not be accused of holding anything back. O T I $135.00

* is KNIGHTS BRIDGE Dr. Crane Vineyard 2008Napa Valley. Sweet oak and ultra-ripe, raspberry-like fruit vie for primacy here, and, if it stops right at the line of being a little too much, there is no question but that this wine has nothing to do with restraint. It is big, it is mouthfilling, and it is too hot for its own good, but its striking richness and depth keep it in the game, and it will win loud applause from unrepentant fans of the style. O T I $135.00

ir LANDY Melange De Vin Rouge 2008Russian River Valley. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon; 7% Cabernet Franc; 10% Petit Verdot; 8% Merlot. As much as we like this wine’s initial aromas of cherries, berries and balanced oak, we would like to see a little more richness and fruity clarity to the mid-density flavors that follow. Rounded at first, then firm and a bit narrow with an edge of herbs and dried brush finding voice at the end, this one strikes us as Cabernet Sauvignon in Pinot Noir clothing and as such needs tagging for no more than a few years of age. O B I $56.00

* is LONG MEADOW RANCH Napa Valley 2008There are pieces of a very good wine here, chief of which is a good bit of clean and well-focused black cherry fruit, and, while we like what we find in the way of balance and complementary oak, we are left wishing for a little more stamina and strength. We would not claim that success necessarily depends on power and potency, yet a slight boost in either could move this one up in the ranks. 1 B A $45.00

again, Insignia takes it accustomed place near the very head of the class, and, as usual, it is one of the most polished and well-balanced Cabernets to be had. That is not to say that it in any way lacks for authority, richness or size, for it is an intense and impressively filled wine, and it vies for top honors in a vintage that has provided more than a few noteworthy wines. It drives home the point that big wines can be wonderfully balanced, and, while delicious even now, it will not reach its peak for a good many years to come. 3 B A $200.00

*** jq JOSEPH PHELPS Insignia Napa Valley 200889% Cabernet Sauvignon; 7% Petit Verdot; 4% Merlot. Once

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* jl LOUIS M. MARTINI Lot 1 Napa Valley 2008Although showing some familial kinship with its lesser priced cellarmate from the Alexander Valley, Martini’s Lot 1 bottling is riper and more extravagantly oaked still. It is at once both lush and slightly tough at the edges, and its themes of black cherries and currants are challenged by heat at the finish. For all of its richness and size, however, it never loses its varietal way, and with a few years of softening it should do yeoman service with hearty pot roasts and stews. 1 B A $120.00

* is LOUIS M. MARTINI Napa Valley 20084% Cabernet Franc; 3% Petite Sirah; 4% other. If drawn along more restrained lines than Martini’s other appellation bottlings, this nicely composed wine is in ways the most successful of the bunch. It may lack the unbridled richness of the Lot 1 bottling, but it delivers a good bit of keen Cabernet fruit and is not waylaid by ripeness. It has tannin enough for a bit of backbone, but it is easy to drink now and will reach its best soon enough.GOOD VALUE 3 B I $25.00

ir LOUIS M. MARTINI Sonoma County 2009Soft, slightly smaller and helped on its way by a spot of sweet oak, this straightforward offering smacks of ripe cherries and a touch of dusty soil. It is easy to like now but would be more so yet but for a last-minute streak of tannin that works to dry out its finish. It will benefit by service with food, and another couple of years in the bottle will smooth it out to its benefit.GOOD VALUE 3 L I $18.00

ir LOUIS M. MARTINI Alexander Valley 2008Ripeness moves to center stage almost at once and remains the dominant trait of this plush and weighty wine right through to its slightly sere finish. It earns a grudging bow for its richness and amplitude, but it fails to follow up on its early suggestions of plummy fruit and is in the end thrown too far off course by increasingly palpable heat. 1 B I $35.00

* iu LUNA Napa Valley 2007Smelling of minerals, dark fruits, black tea and a touch of sweet oak in its slow-to-unfold nose, this fleshy, medium-full-bodied wine is equally interesting but is a bit easier to get at once in the mouth. Its flavors are immediate and seem to hold nothing back in the way of ripe fruit or rich oak, and, other than wishing for just a little more staying power and fruity length, we have no complaints whatsoever. 1 B A $45.00

* jl MA(I)SONRY Napa Valley 200911% Cabernet Franc; 6% Merlot; 4% Malbec; 4% Petit Verdot. There is no questioning the ambition of this very ripe and highly extracted Cabernet, and, while we are very much impressed by its richness and impressive depth, we worry that its fifteen-year tannins will outlive its ten-year fruit. It is one for the cellar, to be sure, but its aggressive astringency comes as a large caveat to what is a very deep wine. O B A $125.00

iq MICHAEL & DAVID Earthquake Lodi 2009High in oakiness and smelling of sweet smoke and drifting into notes of charred wood, this wine barely brings its very ripe fruit to the fore. Full-bodied and somewhat beamy despite adequate acidity in support, this one turns dry, hot and tannic towards the finish and presents challenges to current enjoyment while not promising real growth over time. 1 T I $26.00

* jl MIRO Silverwood Vineyard Alexander Valley 2009It is not at all uncommon to find a certain herbal, mildly vegetal aspect in some Alexander Valley Cabernets, but this handsome effort goes straight for very pure fruit with careful accents of vanilla and milk chocolate played against strongly curranty themes. It is fleshy and firm with plenty of extract, and it is buttressed by a bit of age-appropriate tannin that makes it as ageworthy as it is buoyantly fruity. Put it away for at least four or five years.GOOD VALUE O B A $30.00

* jl MONTICELLO Tietjen Vineyard Rutherford 2008Napa Valley. With its mix of cassis and wisps of black tea, this fairly full-bodied bottling does a good job of capturing much of the Rutherford character, but it also drifts a bit into brownies and dark chocolate and, in so doing, becomes quite rich and deep in the kind of character that goes so well with long-cooked meats. Its hints of flesh at entry are well-buffered by underlying tannin that firms things up nicely. O B I $65.00

** jn MOONE-TSAI Napa Valley 200814% Merlot. Introduced by a well-balanced mix of cassis and creamy oak in the nose, this deep and very generous wine steps up its game on the palate. It is rich, it is ripe, it is layered, but it is never close to being overdone, and its careful composition is reaffirmed by its fine sense of balance and seamlessly fit tannin. For all of its refinement, it is still too young to drink, and like all Cabernets that aspire to high standing, it needs some time to hit its stride. 1 B A $75.00

iq MURIETTA’S WELL The Spur Livermore Valley 200932% Cabernet Sauvignon; 30% Malbec; 21% Petit Verdot; 7% Cabernet Franc; 6% Petite Sirah; 4% Merlot. More oaky than fruity on first sniff and following suit on the palate, this vague

*** jr MOONE-TSAI Cor Leonis Napa Valley 2008The more complex wine of the Moone-Tsai duo and one with its own distinctive, mildly blackberry-like fruit, the Cor Leonis is an impressively deep and serious Cabernet that slowly unfolds in the glass. It shows grace-notes of spice and an elusive chalky soil overlay, and its fancy oak never threatens to be too much. There is a hint of last-minute heat not found in its mate, but richness makes it moot, and the wine’s continuous flavors eas-ily outdistance its nominal tannins. While never so brusque as to demand other than mid-term aging, this is a genuinely complex wine whose many parts will coalesce into a remarkable whole some half-dozen years hence. And, we would not be at all averse to keeping it for a decade. O B A $175.00

and slightly underfilled mixed varietal mélange displays a reedy edge from front to back, and it is cut off too soon at the finish by chalky dryness. 1 B I $25.00ir MX Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Oakville 2008Napa Valley. While coming with all the trappings of ripeness and sweet oak that expensive Cabernet Sauvignon does these days, this one is fairly sparing in fruit and comes up a bit hollow and hot. Its coarseness commends aging but its bias to dryness makes aging an uncertain bet, and it is one we would not take given the high price of admission. O B A $135.00ir NAPA STATION Napa Valley 20088% Merlot; 4% Petit Verdot; 1% Petite Sirah. Clean, fruity and rather obvious in its sweet oak, this direct, well-ripened effort is as suggestive of Merlot as it is Cabernet, and its lack of varietal toughness makes it appealing now. Its minor tannins provide a bit of staying power, but we would not wait on it for more than a few years. 1 B I $23.00* iu NEWTON Unfiltered Napa Valley 2008Although not quite outgoing in terms of defined fruit, this ripe and generous wine is not at all stinting in richness. It smacks of sweet oak, dried herbs, briar and a bit of milk chocolate, and it is broad and supple with a tilt to softness on the palate. It ends with sufficiently brusque tannins to dissuade early drinking, and, if real refinement seems outside of its reach, it will benefit by four or five years of patience. 1 B A $60.00* is NEWTON Napa County 2009Sweet fruit and sweet oak combine here for a direct and easy-to-taste wine that at first hints at Merlot, but things tighten up on the palate after a rounded start, and a bit of Cabernet grip comes on at the finish. While a touch coarse in the latter going, the wine is not overly so, and its good grasp on fruit will keep it on track for three or four years. 3 B I $28.00ip PAOLETTI Piccolo Cru Napa Valley 200968% Cabernet Sauvignon; 16% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Franc; 4% Malbec; 4% Petit Verdot; 3% Syrah. Curiously candied in the nose and decidedly sweet in taste, this directionless wine smacks of burnt sugar throughout its length and never finds a clear fruity voice. 1 B D $22.00iq PECH MERLE Alexander Valley 200818% Melrot; 4% Cabernet Franc; 1% Malbec. A loose bit of black cherry fruit struggles to make its way past an element of wet forest-floor in the nose, and, once in the mouth, the wine is similarly lacking in clear focus as it progresses from a slightly soft start to a firm, reedy finish. O B I $37.00* iu PEJU Napa Valley 200712% Merlot; 9% Petit Verdot. Far more sensibly priced than the

winery’s Reserve bottling of the same year, and a much better wine in terms of its overall balance and integration, this nicely composed Cabernet marries moderately deep, cassis-like fruit with a fair bit of complementary caramelly oak. It is supple and full on the palate, and it is backed up by nominal tannins. It is just tough enough to want a little more age, but it should be ready to go in only a few years. 3 B A $45.00

* is PEJU Fifty/Fifty Napa Valley 200850% Cabernet Sauvignon; 50% Merlot. There are three distinct pieces to this wine; ripeness, slightly smoky oak and juicy, black cherry fruit, and the three stand apart from each other rather than combining in a comfortable whole. The wine leans to the juicy fruit of Merlot upon entry but then takes on a streak of toughening Cabernet tannin. There is richness enough to keep things on track, and a few years of softening should make for a more cohesive wine. 1 B A $85.00

ir PEJU Reserve Rutherford Napa Valley 2007Sweet, slightly creamy and hinting at cherry cola in its nose, this one takes a sharp turn to stiffening acidity once in the mouth and winds up both brittle and tannic. Its vitality may not be in question, but its ability to find real balance is, and, at the price, it is a risky gamble bet at best. 1 B A $105.00

** jo QUINTESSA Rutherford Napa Valley 2008There is no big burst of fruit or towering wave of sweet oak to make this one an immediate turner of heads, but there is a real sense of sophistication at work here with plenty of depth and layering right from the start. The wine is at once both slightly supple and fairly firm in feel, and its vitality is hard to ignore. It teases with touches of toast and dusty earth spice while hewing to a very long line of optimally ripened currants, and it has all the right pieces in all the right places to grow famously for ten years or more. 3 B A $145.00

ir RAMEY Annum Napa Valley 20085% Petit Verdot. As far removed in style from Ramey’s Claret as a wine might reasonably be, this massive, highly extracted effort is driven first and last by obvious ripeness. Its steers too soon to chocolate, while tongue-curing tannin and throat-catching heat make quick work of its early gleanings of fruit. It lacks nothing in the way of bluster and substance, but it would be far better if dialed back a bit. 1 T A $90.00

ir RAMEY Claret Napa Valley 200870% Cabernet Sauvignon; 13% Merlot; 12% Syrah; 4% Petit Verdot; 1% Cabernet Franc. This tight and fairly compact wine wanders a bit from the expected Ramey richness, and, while it flirts here and there with cherries and herbs, it wants for more depth and is pushed around by slightly too prominent acidity in the latter going. 1 B A $38.00

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*** jq RUBICON Red Wine Napa Valley 200887% Cabernet Sauvignon; 6% Cabernet Franc; 4% Petit Verdot; 3% Malbec. Deep, rich, ripe and focused, this wine charms from the outset with aromas that are spot on for varietal precision and smell of the complex, layered best of the West Rutherford Bench. Its combination of currant and black cherry notes with hints of root beer and sweet loam are followed on the palate by a supple entry, balancing acidity and by the solid framing of long-grained, polished tannins. Like its aromatic character, its flavors are writ large and writ precisely, and while no one is going to mistake it for a quiet, nuanced wine, so too will no one find anything but deep and lovely character here. 3 B A $200.00

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*** jr STAGLIN Rutherford Napa Valley 20088% Cabernet Franc. The argument that wines with high ripeness lose their varietal and place-driven character is undone by Staglin year in and year out with its keenly focused aroma and flavors of currant, loam and cola augmented but never dominated by the caramelly richness of fancy oak barrels. Full on the palate, supple and somewhat fleshy, the wine is impeccably balanced and very polished at first glance. Yet, that polish only serves to sequester the solid layer of tannin that sits in the background and will keep things in fine fettle for a decade. 3 B I $185.00

* jl RICHARD PARTRIDGE Napa Valley 2007Very fine balance sets this lithe and well-crafted wine apart as being one of the more stylish of our newly reviewed Cabernets, and it makes an entirely convincing case that concentration and complexity can come without bombast and bluster. It is ripe and supple and lively, and its deftly placed tannins ensure a long life ahead. It will be ready to enjoy in three to five years, but it has the potential for more. 1 B A $68.00* iu RIDGE Monte Bello Estate Vineyard 2008Santa Cruz Mtns. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon; 28% Merlot. If in its best versions, Montebello Cabernets are classic expressions of balance, varietal complexity and refined understatement, this bottling strikes us as just a little too quiet and lesser in scale. It is carefully crafted and very claret-like in construction, but its fruit is a touch underplayed, and its combination of acidity, angularity and stiffening tannin leaves it hard to approach now and a wine for its most ardent fans. 1 B A $145.00* is ROBERT CRAIG Mt. Veeder Napa Valley 200812% Merlot; 3% Malbec. Ripeness goes before fruit in this big and rather sinewy young wine, but buried down deep beneath oak and tannin, there is a resilient core of currant fruit to keep it on track. We cannot say that stylishness will be one of its virtues if allowed to age, but it has enough depth to encourage five to ten years of keeping. 1 B A $70.00* jl ROBERT MONDAVI Reserve Napa Valley 20088% Cabernet Franc; 7% Petit Verdot. With lots of sweet oak surrounding its very ripe fruit, the latest Mondavi Reserve is an especially outgoing wine and holds little back. It is supple and full and wonderfully rich on the palate, and it stays in balance despite its very evident ripeness. A scant bit of heat comes up in the finish and ultimately costs it higher marks, but this a crowd- pleasing Cabernet by any standard, and it has room to grow for another five-plus years. 3 B I $135.00** jn RODNEY STRONG Alexander’s Crown 2008Alexander Valley. Ripe currants, cherries and a light touch of raspberry in the nose set this solid and supple full-bodied effort out on a very promising path, and the ripe flavors that follow do not disappoint. Its ample oak is well-matched to fruit, and, while it has plenty of substance and Cabernet heft, it does not come across as being at all heavy. It is tannic enough to want keeping but not so much so that it will require too many more years before really hitting its stride, and we expect that four or five should be just about right. 1 B A $75.00iq RODNEY STRONG Alexander Valley 2009Simple, clean, on the mild side with just enough red cherry fruit

to keep the wine’s herbal edge at bay, this medium-full-bodied effort is somewhat firm on the palate by dint of its shortfalls in both fruit and richness, but it is also not overly tannic and would certainly do in a pinch. 3 L D $25.00

ir ROTH Alexander Valley 200911% Merlot; 1% Cabernet Franc. More red cherry than black in focus, but not without a hint of cassis for its varietal identity, this somewhat fleshy, ripe and lush wine comes equipped with a big dollop of creamy oak that competes for attention first in the nose and then again on the palate. Latter palate astringency rises late and cuts the wine off, and while aging is needed, there is a question as to what it will bring. 3 B I $28.00* iu RUBICON Cask Cabernet Rutherford 2008Not unlike its top-of-the-line cellarmate but less keenly focused and far more brusque in its personality, this full-bodied, muscular effort reprises the familiar traits of currants and black cherry along with a fair dollop of supporting richness in both its aroma and its fruity, rooty, loamy flavors. Ripeness is here a touch more evident in the face of slightly less compelling central personality, but, as with its sibling, this one does not lack for either character or the build to hold together for a decade. 1 B A $75.00* is ST. CLEMENT Star Vineyard Rutherford 2008Napa Valley. Despite the potential for this wine to be nothing more than another highly ripened, obvious Cabernet, it finds a way to transcend its ripeness and to be both balanced and light on its feet even as it is unquestionably full in body. What it lacks is solid fruit to go with all that ripeness, and were it not for okay balance, it might have rated lower. O B I $80.00iq ST. FRANCIS Red Splash Sonoma County 200740% Cabernet Sauvignon; 25% Merlot; 18% Syrah; 8% Cab. Franc; 5% Zinfandel; 2% Petite Sirah. This all-but-the-kitchen-sink blend surprises by showing reasonable Cabernet character, but it surprises even more by being supple and balanced at a price point where few are. It drifts a little to dryness, but it will drink well with grilled meats now and in the not-distant future.GOOD VALUE 3 B I $10.00* it SAWYER Rutherford Napa Valley 2008If a little lower in volume, this Rutherford-sourced bottling comes through loud and clear with its focused aromas of cassis, root beer, caramelly oak and light notes of soil and herbs. It is supple towards the front of the palate, then firms up in the latter going and becomes just a bit acidy/reedy at the finish. Withal, it only demands a four to five year wait to open up yet is bound to last twice that long in the cellar. 1 B I $49.00* iu SEBASTIANI Cherryblock Sonoma Valley 20089% Merlot; 4% Malbec; 3% other. Focus and balance are the watchwords of this nicely made wine, and, even at a very young age, it is already showing a sense of polish and grace. Its plays black cherry fruit off of lots of very sweet oak, and its sustained

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flavors are backed with fine-grained firming tannins. We would lobby for a few years age and not be in a hurry to drink it up in spite of its straightforward charms. 1 B A $95.00* is SHANNON RIDGE Home Ranch High Valley 2009Lake County. Ripe, youthful, reasonably fruity and very clearly focused on cassis-like character, this full-bodied, slightly supple wine is just a touch coarse at this point, but, for a rich Cabernet, it is quite drinkable even now. Its flavors are a tad scaled back relative to its pricier peers, but it does taste like Cabernet and will drink well now and for a few years. 1 B D $30.00ip SHANNON RIDGE Lake County 20096% Syrah; 5% Petite Sirah; 1% Malbec. Clean and mild and at least a little bit fruity in its aromas even if being on the smaller side, the wine turns out to be even less formidable in the mouth where “mild” turns too quickly to transient and slightly round at entry becomes chalky at the finish. 3 L D $19.00

** jo SIGNORELLO Padrone Napa Valley 200889% Cabernet Sauvignon; 11% Merlot. Big, brawny and very ripe with nary a hint of refinement, the latest Padrone bottling is a burly, high-extract effort whose emphasis is on richness and richness again. It rises in rank due to its rather surprising center of fruit, and, even as hard-charging tannin threatens to dry out its finish, the taste of cassis goes on and on. Make no mistake, this one is in need of lengthy aging, and a full decade will pass before it rounds into shape. O B A $135.00* is SIGNORELLO Estate Grown Napa Valley 200815% Merlot. This wine presents a confusing and contradictory mix of pieces for, while it starts out with a deep, well-defined nose of cassis, black olives and loam, it proves to be so brutally tannic that finding the same in its flavors is a difficult task. Time may prove a remedy, but then again it may not, and, even if it earns hesitant endorsement, it requires both patience and a bit of good luck. 1 B A $55.00iq SILVER OAK Alexander Valley 2007Strident oak leaps to the fore right from the start here, and, if the wine smacks mildly of ripe cherries, it is a bit withered at its heart and its fruit fails to catch up. It pulls up short at the finish and ends on a note of toothpicky dryness, and the tannins that underlie its sere finish are likely to remain long after its gasping fruit has gone. 1 B I $70.00* is SIXTEEN BY TWENTY Napa Valley 2008Very much falling in with those that express unabashed ripeness and not a wine that aims for refinement, this weighty working forgoes beauty for brawn. It is big and a bit thick, and it is dried out by tannin, yet it has real Cabernet fruit at its heart and a fair sense of richness comes with its swaggering style. Charm is not in the offing, but we would still opt for five years of smoothing all the same. 1 B A $44.00* is SPANN The Classic Four California 200862% Cabernet Sauvignon; 26% Merlot; 7% Cabernet Franc; 5% Petit Verdot. Simple, straightforward and built along less-opulent lines, this mannerly, mid-sized working is more about balance than richness. It is modestly tannic, firmed by evident acid and hangs on to enough fruit to succeed, and, while never a wine of compelling depth, it will make priceworthy drinking

with grilled chops and steaks in the next few years. GOOD VALUE 1 B I $20.00

iq SPANN Mayacamas Range Twenty-Six Barrels 2006Sonoma County. 10% Cabernet Franc; 8% Merlot; 6% Petit Verdot. From its peculiar, slightly plasticky smells to its chalky, slightly green-tasting flavors, this bottling struggles without real success to find polish and keen Cabernet focus. It tightens up as it goes and ends with abrupt, acid-pushed tannins, and we do not see it getting better with age. 1 B I $35.00* it STAR LANE Astral Santa Ynez Valley 200652% Cabernet Sauvignon; 29% Petit Verdot; 19% Cabernet Franc. Long on the loamy imperatives of Cabernet grown in the right places and simply loaded with very ripe, distinctly currant fruit, this intensely aromatic and expressively oaked wine makes a fairly spectacular start. It is, however, very much governed by ripeness once in the mouth, and its considerable richness comes at the cost of blurred fruit, hard-to-ignore heat and decidedly astringent tannins. Still, it is so rich as to claim success, but its virtues will never include elegance. 1 B A $80.00

** jm STEVEN KENT Lineage Livermore Valley 200881% Cabernet Sauvignon; 9% Cabernet Franc; 5% Petit Verdot; 3% Malbec; 2% Merlot. We were very impressed by the prior vintage of Lineage, and Steven Kent seems to have hit the mark once again. A little bigger, riper and more dramatically oaked in this outing, the wine is admittedly a bit of a blunderbuss, but its slight sin of excess is easy to forgive for this kind of richness. We expect that it will have its detractors and be called too much of a good thing, but it will never be accused of complacency and it earns a big thumbs-up vote here. O B A $125.00* iu STONE EDGE FARM Napa Valley 200719% Merlot. Nicely extracted, carefully balanced and showing intriguing touches of leather, wet earth and dark-roasted coffee that are precursors of further complexity to come, this rich and well-filled Cabernet has plenty of depth and the fruity muscle it needs to age without worry of drying out. Its tannins are still a bit gruff, but they are countered by fruit and are never abrasive, and five or six years will go a very long way in bringing the wine some much-needed polish. 1 B A $60.00ir STONE EDGE FARM Surround Sonoma Valley 200786% Cabernet Sauvignon; 14% Merlot. Moderately fruity and mildly floral in scent with a hint of milk chocolate confirming its ripeness, this moderately full-bodied effort makes a fairly nice start and follows with open, ever so slightly juicy fruit flavors. It draws up a bit short at the end and dries under the influence of tannin and oak, and while service with food will help smooth its finish, its reach falls a bit short. O B I $30.00* iu SULLIVAN Reserve Rutherford Napa Valley 2008Most of the time, even the most rugged Rutherford Cabernets boast more polish than power. There are scads of ripe, deep and substantial wines from Rutherford, but there are few whose hard tannins have us scurrying for the darkest corners of our cellars. Yet, this is just such a wine whose tight personality and need for extended patience brings about a recommendation for more than a decade in the quietest spot you can find. And understand, please, that you might very well be rewarded with a mouthful of dust as you are a wine of exceptional beauty. Such is the nature of the gamble called for here. O B A $100.00

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ip THREE RIVERS Red Wine Columbia Valley 200974% Cabernet Sauvignon; 18% Merlot; 6% Petit Verdot; 2% Cinsault. Simple, a bit lacking in range and fairly vague as far as keen Cabernet character goes, this soft-edged effort is limp and lifeless on the palate, and its candied flavors flirt ever so slightly with a suggestion of sweetness. 3 B I $14.00

ip THREE SAINTS Happy Canyon Santa Barbara 200812% Cabernet Franc; 8% Petit Verdot; 3% Malbec. There is a pervasive sense of thinness about this bottling that appears at most every point, and, if clean and at least loosely varietal, it is never all that certain in fruit with a reedy component coming on in its sere, slightly bitter finish. 3 B I $22.00

ir TRENTADUE La Storia Alexander Valley 20098% Merlot; 6% Petite Sirah; 2% Petit Verdot. Pert, mildly berry-like fruit is the mainstay of this mid-sized effort, and, if just a bit light on Cabernet muscle, it is a bright and tasty young wine all the same. Its development depends as much on its lively acidity as it does on its modest tannins, and it should pull all its pieces into place in but a couple of years. 3 B I $25.00

* it VENGE Bone Ash Vineyard Napa Valley 2009Subtlety is rarely the centerpiece of wines from Venge, and it comes as no surprise that there is none to be found here, but what this wine may lack in nuance is more than made up for in sheer richness and depth. Big, bold and very ripe with a broad sweep of tannin under its sweet, black cherry flavors, it heats up just a bit at the finish and will want partnering with the likes of slowly braised short ribs. O B I $76.00iq VENGE Silencieux Napa Valley 2009Its moniker seems a little misplaced in that there is nothing at all “silent” about this very gusty, very ripe wine, and, while it may have plenty of extract, its sinewy, ten-year tannins win the day and leave it tough, chalky and quite astringent. Plenty of luck and unending patience seem the only possible remedies to its overly rough woes. 1 B A $48.00

* iu VERMEIL XXXIV Proprietary Red Wine 2009Calistoga. Napa Valley. 42% Cabernet Sauvignon; 36% Petite Sirah; 21% Cabernet Franc. Ready ripeness comes wrapped up in lots of very sweet oak here, and, if nuance is not one of this wine’s traits, unrelenting richness most certainly is. There is a bit of heat sticking out at the finish, but tannin is surprisingly well-managed given the high proportion of Petite Sirah. We do not see it as being one for long-term keeping and expect it to reach its best in half a dozen years. 1 B I $42.00

* is VERMEIL Frediani Vineyard Calistoga 2008Napa Valley. 6% Cabernet Franc. If, in truth, this supple, well-balanced bottling is reasonably fruity and sports a nice dollop of oak, it is a touch shy on strength and does not show the range or the depth we would expect from a Cabernet of its provenance and price. It is a wholly likeable wine nonetheless, and it needs no more than three or four years in the cellar before becoming the best it can be. 1 B A $85.00

ir VERMEIL Frediani Vineyard Calistoga 2007Napa Valley. 7% Cabernet Franc; 1% Petite Sirah. Oak piled upon oak is the main message here, and, while the wine sports a fair measure of fruit underneath, it is sufficiently coarse, hot

and phenolic as to make waiting for that fruit to emerge an iffy proposition at best. It begs for four or five years of age, but it makes no promise of beauty. 1 B A $34.00

** jm VINE CLIFF Sixteen Rows Private Stock 2008Oakville Napa Valley. As varietally precise as it is very rich, this nicely composed offering delivers a quite a good balancing act in terms of being both ripe and refined at the same time. Its long and confident fruit is lifted by a nice note of integral acid, and its ample varietal tannins provide a proper degree of back-palate grip. Its obvious polish makes it tempting right now, but as is the case with most fine Cabernets, its greater virtues lie ahead. We would wait for five or six years. 1 B A $150.00ir VINE CLIFF Oakville Napa Valley 20086% Cabernet Franc; 6% Malbec. If nearly as ripe as its higher-priced mate, this bottling is nowhere near as well-filled in fruit, and its themes of cherries, chocolate, herbs and sweet oak are a bit transient and fall off to dryness. It is that very dryness that is the wine’s Achilles’ heel, and it raises real concern that age may find things getting drier yet. 1 B I $75.00ir WENTE Charles Whetmore Heritage Block 2009Livermore Valley. We confess to doing a bit of fence-sitting here, for while we like this wine’s restraint, its well-managed ripeness and its lack of bluster, we also wish it had a little more essential fruit at its heart. It starts out nicely rounded but thins out just a bit as it goes, and its mildly puckery tannins stick out more than they should. 1 B I $25.00* iu WHITEHALL LANE Reserve Napa Valley 2008Drawn along slightly narrow lines despite the fact that it does not go wanting for ripeness, this compact, somewhat angular youngster comes with a touch of extra acidity. It smacks here and there of graphite minerality before drying as tannins take hold at the finish, and a few years in the bottle should help it unwind and soften. 1 B A $60.00* is WHITEHALL LANE Napa Valley 20087% Merlot; 7% Petit Verdot. If not quite varietally specific in its sweet, slightly chocolaty, reliant-on-oak tilt, this wine musters a fair bit of richness and offers up open, ripe-cherry flavors that are easy to like. Less likeable, however, are the heat and tannins that dry out its finish, and aging, while helpful, may never bring it into complete balance. 3 B A $40.00* jl ZD Reserve Napa Valley 2008Aggressive oak breaks in front of everything else early on, and it persists as a principal player throughout the wine’s length. That said, the wine is fit with plenty of well-ripened, solidly varietal fruit and the two manage to co-exist. Rife with vanilla, root beer and crème brulee, it is a plush and readily accessible effort, and, if its tannins do make themselves known at the finish, they will be dampened by service with richer roast meats and a few more years of aging. 1 B A $125.00* it ZD Napa Valley 2009Lightly loamy and graced with a minerally note in its fairly direct ripe-currant and oak aromas, ZD’s latest is a comparatively trim wine that keeps ripeness in check and its sights set on slightly restrained fruit. It is firm and modestly tannic, and it is not ready for drinking, but neither is it a wine needing lengthy cellaring. Set it aside for four of five years. 1 B A $55.00

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* iu CAMILLE SAVÈS Carte Blanche Premier Cru75% Pinot Noir; 25% Chardonnay. If on the one hand a very rich wine that gives full voice to toasty autolysis, this creamy, finely bubbled Champagne shows a slight touch of sweetness with crisping acidity as a welcome balancing player. That acid sticks out a bit at the end, but the wine will work well as a foil to shellfish in cream sauce. O C D $65.00ir CHARLES HEIDSIECK Brut Reserve Champagne Charlie Heidsieck made and lost and made again a fortune in the bubbly trade in the United States before and after the Civil War. For years thereafter, the market here was his best and biggest, and while the times have not been entirely kind to the brand, it still has a big following. This wine, while not wholly lacking in distinction, is now another in a long list of pricey and not entirely successful efforts. Its toasty aromas suggest a fair bit of age, but it does not rise above acceptable in its clean, slightly underfilled flavors. 3 C D $55.00* iu DELAMOTTE BrutBright, moderately yeasty and showing subtle touches of lemon and chalk in the nose, this moderately frothy rendition hits the mark as a fairly classic non-vintaged Brut. Its firming structural acids are nicely balanced by the faintest, ever-so-slightly-sweet dosage, but its finish is long, properly dry and carries lingering minerally notes. 1 C D $45.00ir DELAMOTTE Brut Rosé Smelling vaguely of old straw and something akin to nuts that have been roasted a little too long, this wine starts out on the wrong foot and never quite manages to get right. It is decently balanced and moderately foamy, but its flavors are small and slightly washed out, and they fall off too soon to a dry, mildly bitter, acid-framed finish. O L D $90.00** jo DUVAL-LEROY Femme de Champagne Brut 2000Lengthy aging and time on the yeast has resulted in a complex and genuinely layered sparkler here. Starting out with especially inviting aromas of vanilla, lemons, lots of toast and hints of dried cherries, this gently bubbled Champagne follows with compact,

long-lasting, explicitly autolyzed flavors that are still very much alive. It is crisp and gracefully balanced, and it demonstrates the considerable virtues to be had from well-aged Champagne. Drink now with light hors d’oeuvres and think about putting some in the cellar for later. O C D $120.00* jl DUVAL-LEROY Brut RoséHere is a bigger, rather “wide-bodied” take on Rosé, and it tips the scales in the direction of very toasty autolysis in the nose. It exhibits plenty of weight and yeasty richness once in the mouth and sports a decidedly creamy feel, but a touch of citrusy acid arrives just in time to tighten up its lingering, mildly astringent, decidedly Rosé finish. 1 L D $58.00* is DUVAL-LEROY Brut 2006This is the unusual Champagne in which the nose is surprisingly less inviting than the wine in the mouth. Its beginning aromas of citrus and stones seem a touch dry and lacking in richness, but the story gets better with a foamy, energetic mousse and a nice touch of youthful if citrusy fruit in mid-palate and trailing into a crisp, slightly bitter finish. Service with light foods will allow the wine to show well. 1 l D $56.00ir DUVAL-LEROY Brut Clos des Bouveries 2005Starting off with aromas of creamy, slightly toasty yeast backed up by whiffs of citrus and chalk and suggesting both polish and youth at one and the same time, the wine delivers far less on the palate where its high acidity and its coarse texture belies all that has come before. Its tight mousse and lean flavors might be liked by those who favor wines of biting crispness, but even then, they would have to accept a finishing note of bitterness that invades the wine’s finish. 1 l D $65.00ir DUVAL-LEROY Brut Clean and uncomplicated and a bit limited in reach, this basic Brut counts freshness and vitality as key among its gifts. Its lean manner and limited yeast make it one to sip solo or serve with appropriately lighter foods, yet its balance and crisp, cleansing finish suggest that it will make a useful mealtime companion when teamed with the right fare. 1 C D $40.00

Is there another word in all of winedom that brings as much joy to the world as “Champagne”? Not in these parts, even when we call it “sparkling wine” because all that bubbles is not from the Champagne region itself and thus is not really entitled to the use of the word. No, Champagne is not just bubbles. It is the “bubbles” from one place in northern France. No matter that the word has a generic meaning to most people or that a large percentage of the sparkling wine made in this country comes from companies named Moet et Chandon, Taittinger, Roederer, Mumm and that the technique for producing the local bubblies is virtually identical to that used in Champagne. It is not Champagne by definition even if it is “champagne” in our thinking. What we and others have are the children of Champagne, and not only is the word Champagne worthy of the veneration that it is accorded, so are the wines with the name. The cross-section of wines in this year’s review span the affordable end of the Champagne mix. The least expensive of the Champagnes are the non-vintage Bruts. These are typically blends of grapes, mostly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with some Pinot Meunier added in for a rounder, more open youth. They are not throwaways, but so too do they not use the best of the Champagne grapes. Wines with a vintage date are generally higher in intent and quality. They often come from better vineyards and receive more aging in the wineries. They also cost more and thus are a bit of a premium product. The top-tier from Champagne is not represented in this year’s review. Their prices, almost always in triple digits, signal that the producers have reserved their best grapes for these longer-aged beauties. But do tread lightly in that territory because the wines are expensive. Real Champagne is not “cheap” but the bargains do exist, and a quick look through the tasting notes below could save you a bundle.

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* iu FORGET-BRIMONT Brut 1er Cru Just a little higher in toasty autolysis while also being a touch on the fresher side, this exuberant wine comes with generous Meyer lemon fruit and a hint of cherry infusion as well. Its bubbles are small and insistent on the palate, and they lead directly to quite nicely crafted, lively flavors in a somewhat lighter style. This one will serve well as an aperitif yet would also pair up well in the company of grilled Dover Sole. O F D $63.00

* iu FORGET-BRIMONT Extra Brut 1er CruSometimes, Champagne of very low dosage can be a touch on the brittle side, but this very dry, well-champenized working is balanced, slightly complex and never too austere. It musters a fair sense of richness yet is lively and fresh throughout its length with a delicate edge of chalk and dried cherries showing up in its lingering finish. O C D $63.00

* is FORGET-BRIMONT Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru100% Chardonnay. Very much a true Blanc de Blancs not just in word but in deed, Forget-Brimont’s take on the style is light and “airy” and crisp as can be. It is charged with a fine, long-lasting mousse, but it keeps autolysis quietly off to the side and lets a mild, lemon-drop theme come to the fore. It is not quite as deep or as interesting as the best of the breed, but it is friendly and fun to drink. O C D $63.00

iq FORGET-BRIMONT Brut Rosé Grand CruDusty and dry and redolent of paper, this oddly autolyzed effort wanders from the conventional Champagne path. Its bubbles are brief, and a streak of unexpected sweetness pushes past its finishing tartness, and the lasting impression is of wine whose pieces do not seem to fit. O L D $70.00

iq FORGET-BRIMONT Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru This very light, slight candied offering is sparing in any evident autolysis, and it is underlain by the singular taste of green fruit that leaves it slightly bitter by the time that it ends. A minimalist in most every aspect, it is a less distinctive achievement than the winery’s Grand Cru version. O C D $70.00

* jl GONET-MEDEVILLE Rosé Extra Brut 1er CruA light veneer of minerals and fresh yeast overlies a good bit of cherryish fruit in the medium-deep aromas of this lively young sparkler, and fruit takes the lead in the hefty, well-filled flavors that ensue. We would like a little more length to its otherwise fine bubbles, but this is a tasty, properly vinous Rosé that will do a nice job with dinner. O L D $52.00

* it GONET-MEDEVILLE Tradition Brut 1er CruThis nicely autolyzed offering starts out with plenty of promise, and its rich, bake-shop smells hit the Champagne mark smartly. Its flavors, too, show a good deal of range and real depth, but invasive, near-sour acidity intervenes in mid-palate and, in the

end, leaves the wine just a little too edgy and angular to earn more enthusiastic endorsement. O l D $40.00

** jo GOSSET Grande Réserve BrutThis very rich, but wonderfully well-composed Champagne is one of the standouts of our year-end tasting, and it is striking both for its layered impressions of yeast and fruit and its terrific sense of vitality. Its light touch tags it as wine with real finesse, and its continuous stream of miniscule bubbles never lets up. We can think of endless entrees that would be improved by its pres-ence, but we would equally happy to sip our ways through a glass or two on its own. 1 C D $65.00

** jm GOSSET Excellence Brut45% Pinot Noir; 36% Chardonnay; 19% Pinot Meunier. If soft at first whiff, this bubbly takes on yeasty, creamy notes of aged character and adds in whiffs of caramel and soy as the wine sits in the glass. Its somewhat frothy yet insistent bubbles are on the small side for non-vintaged Brut and lead to developed flavors that are both rich and noticeably complex. While this is not one for the cellar, it does offer a reasonable return for the money in aged rather than youthful notes. 1 C D $45.00

iq GOSSET Grand Rosé 58% Chardonnay; 35% Pinot Noir; 7% red wine. The effects of time en tirage are largely absent here, and, while the wine is a bit older in character, it has only grown dry and has not gained in richness or range. Its tilt to tart plums takes it to a near-sour finish, and, in the end, it comes up surprisingly threadbare and lacking in interest. O L D $80.00

iq GUY DE CHASSEY Brut Grand Cru 2000Time has not be all that kind to this fairly complex yet seemingly tiring effort, and, while there is no missing the contributions of aging on the yeast, the wine is oddly sour and flat at the same time. Those who like the traits of lengthy bottle-time may find things to like, but we find this one to be an old and incomplete wine that is now losing its way. O F D $70.00* it HENRI ABELÉ BrutWhile showing a certain sense of fruity restraint in the nose, this nicely made Brut does a good job in conveying a bit of minerals and autolyzed yeast. It is clean, slightly rounded and smooth on the palate with plenty of small and persistent bubbles. It is not an especially complex wine, and its scant background sweetness makes it accessible and easy to taste, but it has real Champagne focus, and we like its price. 1 C D $30.00

* jl HENRIOT Brut RoséThis moderately deep and very well-focused offering hits all the right Rosé marks. It is fruity without being candied or cute, it is energetic and enriched with well-measured yeast, and it has just a touch of the vinosity that the genre commends. It may not be one of the bigger and bolder versions of pink to be had, but it more than makes up in careful crafting for what it may lack in size and authority. O L D $63.00

iq HENRIOT Brut SouverainSomewhat muddled and not quite defined in scent with loose hints of wet concrete and chalk standing in for evident yeast, this one manages to be clean, dry and balanced, but its bubbles are coarse, and its mute, lackluster flavors have no more to say than its nose. 1 C D $30.00

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** jn LAHERTE FRÈRES Brut RoséFrom its moderately yeasty aromas to its deep and impressively layered flavors, this noteworthy effort embraces Rosé richness and shows the refinement we look for in true Champagne. It is beautifully balanced with a fine creamy feel and its tiny bubbles last and last. It is dry without being austere, and its very proper vinosity is not compromised by astringency or coarseness. It is, in short, a very special wine capable of delivering great pleasure at quite affordable price relative to its running mates. GOOD VALUE O C D $52.00

** jm LAURENT-PERRIER Cuvée Rosé BrutThis bright and buoyant bottling absolutely begs for comparison with its California cousins for, while showing nominal yeast and a fine, frothy mousse, its first and most obvious message is lot of vital, decidedly juicy, young fruit. It is not a wine of layering and nuance as much as it is one of straightforward appeal, and it will be equally welcomed as a companion to poultry, salmon and milder pork dishes or as an unaccompanied quaff to start the evening off right. 1 C D $100.00

* iu LAURENT-PERRIER Millésimé 200250% Chardonnay; 50% Pinot Noir. A touch heavier in yeast than in minerality or fruit, this wine is decently pleasant in its autolyzed rich aromas, and it gets better in the mouth where there is just enough underlying fruit to support its very evident toasted bread richness. It has an appropriately strong mousse and a certain bit of palatal smoothness perhaps owing to its extra time spent in the aging process. 1 C D $70.00

* is LAURENT-PERRIER Ultra Brut 55% Chardonnay; 45% Pinot Noir. Crisp, crackling acidity is the salient feature of this bone-dry bottling, and beneath its light veneer of autolyzed yeast, the wine shows a mildly chalky note and a taut streak of greenness. It is the kind of Champagne that takes some thought before serving, and, for us, the answer is raw oysters served on their shells. O l D $80.00

ir LAURENT-PERRIER Brut 50% Chardonnay; 33% Pinot Noir; 15% Pinot Meunier. It may be dry, but it is also very austere and singularly lacking in polish, and this mildly toasty, bracingly crisp wine ultimately comes up a bit underfilled. It is explosively foamy, but it comes with a few too many angles and edges, and it will likely falter with foods other than lighter seafood fare. 3 F D $40.00

* jl NICOLAS FEUILLATTE Brut RoséA fair bit of fresh, cherry-like fruit is teamed with subtle touches of yeast here, and, although comparatively light on its feet, the wine displays a good sense of basic Rosé vinosity. Its last-minute turn to red-wine phenolics does, in fact, tag it as one that wants drinking with food, but something like salmon in sauce, will do the trick in smoothing its way. 1 L D $48.00

ip NICOLAS FEUILLATTE BrutA smaller scaled sparkler in most every measure, and one that

tends to sugary sweetness, this bottling is so stinting in yeast as to be simply citric and candied with pithy bitterness coming on to close out its finish. 3 C D $36.00

** jn PIPER-HEIDSIECK Brut 2004One of the stars of this year’s tasting, this moderately aged effort shows the serious side of Champagne with aromas founded in long-aging on the yeasts. Intriguing scents of baked brioche and pie crust are joined by whiffs of fresh apple that contribute hints of Chardonnay to the mix. Very foamy at entry, brisk and bright in palatefeel and endowed with a mix of racy, lively fruit tied to lightly toasted soy and fresh-baked loaves, this one sits atop the ranks of vintage-dated Brut. 1 C D $75.00

* jl PIPER–HEIDSIECK Brut Hinting at proofing bread dough and distant citrus in the nose, this creamy and well-composed sparkler shows fine balance, a steady mousse and good Champagne precision in the mouth. It is driven by delicacy in a way that reminds of a Blanc de Blancs bottling, yet it teases with enough autolyzed richness to invite service with food. It among the better big-name, non-vintaged Bruts we have tasted of late, and it is in such wide distribution that it should be easy to find. O C D $45.00

* iu TAITTINGER Prestige Rosé Brut Fresh, mildly cherry-like fruit and the creamy, bakery-shop traits of careful autolysis share the stage equally here, and the wine is so light in step as to suggest Blanc de Noirs far more than Rosé. It is crisp and clean and graceful right to the end, and its scant edge of last-minute astringency goes nearly unnoticed in light of its lingering fruit. 1 C D $47.00

iq TAITTINGER Brut La FrançaiseCrisp, minerally, chalky and citrusy but not especially pretty in its aromatic display, this wine is frothy on the palate with mid-sized bubbles that disappear a bit too quickly. High acidity and lesser yeast impact in the mouth brings a distinctly lemony edge to the slightly lean, brittle flavors and a sourish note to the finish. Give it a try with oysters—or not at all. O l D $40.00

iq TAITTINGER Prelude Brut Grand CruWe admit to being a little confused by this bottling in that it is at once long on the toasty traits of lengthy time on the yeast and is softer and a bit sugary as well. In this instance at least, the marriage of sugar and yeast is an odd one, and the former tends to obscure the more interesting character gained by time en tirage. 1 C D $70.00

* iu VEUVE CLICQUOT PONSARDIN Brut RoséHere is a rich and rounded play on the Rosé theme, and it is one that shows a good deal of accessible fruit. It is nominally yeasty and moderately foamy with a softer touch as far as any obvious vinosity goes. It is dry and firm without being overly acidic, and its impressions of well-scrubbed smoothness and polish means that it will be as comfortable sipped alone as when teamed up with foods. 3 C D $65.00

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2011: Hell In The Vineyards But Spectacular On The TableLet’s not sugar-coat this thing. This year’s harvest, especially in the North Coast, but certainly not limited to vineyards north of San Francisco, was one of the most difficult in memory. We have had wet harvests within the time frame of this publication’s experience, both 1972 and 1989 come to mind and 1979 was not far behind, but nothing tops what we saw in places this year. We hope you were staying attuned to the situation in the vineyards through our blog and the online writings of others. Not only did the situation turn dire at times, but this is the year that it was chronicled on a daily basis for all to see.

There are going to be good wines made in 2011. Careful selection, providential locations that did not get destroyed by the rains and the molds that ensued, fortuitous decisions in the winery about how to react to the fruit as it arrived will all save the day to some extent. But you are also going to hear plenty of stories about grapes that did not ripen and about grapes that turned to mush on the vines and were not even pickable let alone usable. The 2011 vintage may not be “from Hell” for everyone but it certainly has been for some. We make it a practice not to judge vin-tages until we have tasted the wines. And we won’t make an across the board judgment now. But the words of the growers and the wineries themselves are warning enough to be on guard. Perhaps the most lasting comment on the negative side was this one, “It was a Petrie dish for rot out there”.

Things were better at the tasting tables. While we were substantially finished with the superb vintage of 2007 in which great wine followed great wine and allowed consumers a great range of choice, we found that the bigger reds of 2008 to have succeeded far better than advertised. There were fewer outstanding wines and some notable disappointments, but, by and large, a very good year of tasting has followed hard on the heels of a great year. And with the lightening trends now showing up across the board, it seems likely that California wine will increase its appeal for those folks who have found the general trend of increased ripeness to be too much of a good thing. Even though balance had been maintained, it was no secret that alcohol levels in California had shot up to unprecedented levels. We might not ever see the return of 13% alcohol wines across the board, but noticeable reductions in ripeness accompanied by increases in natural acidities are making noticeable and widely appre-ciated changes in the offerings of many producers.

In making our selections for Wines and Wineries Of The Year, we are not guided by trend however. At CGCW, we judge wine blind. If it is excit-ing in the glass, it matters not to us what the label says. Great wines come in all kinds of stripes, and this year has been no different in that regard. In addition to the our Wines Of The Year below, you will also find your faithful editor’s selections for our personal favorites at both the three-star and two star levels in the following article.

Wines of the YearGRGICH HILLS Sauvignon Blanc Essence 2009Pure, deep, vital Sauvignon Blanc.

MOON-TSAI Cabernet Sauvignon Cor Leonis 2008Layered, rich, complex and incredibly ageworthy.

RAVENSWOOD Zinfandel Teldeschi Vineyard 2008Keenly focused ripe berries, impeccable balance for Zin.

SCHRAMSBERG J. SCHRAM Brut Rose 2004Bright, crisp, deep, ethereal, long-lasting.

Wineries of the YearKOSTA BROWNEKosta Browne always exceeds the very high bar for Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and does it with a bevy of brilliant wines.

FREESTONECold-area Chardonnays that are at once rich, deep and light on their feet. California’s best for several years running.

Best Wines of the Year

Connoisseurs’ Series

It was fairly easy to agree on our Wines Of The Year in the preceding article. We simply looked at those wines that finished in the top ten for each of us and called them out for you. But, of course, when one is tasting through thousands of wines, there are many more than four that have stood out. It is not unusual that the list of our ten favorites would contain many familiar names. Great producers are great producers, and that equation does not seem to change very rapidly. From the standpoint of newcomers and unusual offerings, it turns out the list of our favorites in the two-star category is far more diverse. It also is clear that your editors are far more disposed towards the Rhône varietals than the marketplace. We find greatness among Syrah, Viognier and Grenache in this year’s choices.

In compiling our lists, we find ourselves greatly aided by our expanded database and search and sort functions. In previous years, we have tended to search back through the Indexes in the print issues of the Guide and have ignored the database and its capabilities. More than likely, our age and years of tradition were simply working against us. But, even old dogs can occasionally learn new tricks. And, like us, you will find that the search and sort functions in the data base will enable you to cull out all kinds of lists based on criteria like vintage, rating, variety, Good Value, etc. If you have not already done so, we would encourage you to explore the wonders that modern technology can do. And, if you are way ahead of us in that regard, we are pleased to be catching up to you.

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** Ridge Zinfandel Lytton Springs 2008, ** Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill 2005 and ** Freeman Pinot Noir Akiko’s Cuvee Sonoma Coast 2008.

Created by the California Wine Club exclusively for Connoisseurs’

Guide readers, and featuring only our two-star and three-star

selections, the CONNOISSEURS’ SERIES wine-of-the month club

makes hard to get wines available for you. Featured this month are:

ALYSIAN Pinot Noir Rochioli Vineyard River Block. 2008

DuMOL Pinot Noir Ryan 2008

FREESTONE Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2008

GRGICH HILLS Sauvignon Blanc Essence 2009

JOSEPH PHELPS Insignia 2008

TALLEY Pinot Noir Rosemary’s Vineyard 2008

MOONE-TSAI Cabernet Sauvignon Cor Leonis 2008

RAVENSWOOD Zinfandel Teldeschi Vineyard 2008

SCHRAMSBERG J. SCHRAM Brut Rose 2004

SHAFER Syrah Relentless 2007

CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE – LOOSEN Riesling Eroica 2009

DuMOL lia Viognier 2008

ELYSE Grenache “Le Corbeau” Husdon Vineyard 2009

EVENING LAND Pinot Noir Occidental Vineyard 2008

KOSTA BROWNE Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch 2009t

KRUPP BROTHERS Syrah Black Bart Stagecoach Vineyard 2008

LONDER Chardonnay Corby Vineyards Anderson Valley 2009

RIDGE Zinfandel Lytton Springs 2008

SHAFER Merlot Napa Valley 2008

VON STRASSER Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2008

CHARLES OLKEN’S Best of the *** Wines STEPHEN ELIOT’S Best of the *** Wines

Best of the ** Wines

CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE LH Riesling Ethos 2007

GRGICH HILLS Sauvignon Blanc Essence 2009

JC CELLARS Syrah Buffalo Hill 2008

KOSTA-BROWNE Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard 2009

MOONE-TSAI Cabernet Sauvignon Cor Leonis 2008

PRIDE Reserve Claret 2007

RAVENSWOOD Zinfandel Teldeschi Vineyard 2008

SCHRAMSBERG J. SCHRAM Brut Rose 2004

STAGLIN Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

WILLIAMS SELYEM Pinot Noir Westside Road Neighbors 2009

BJØRNSTAD Chardonnay Barbed Oak Vineyard 2008

CHAPPELLET Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2008

DUCKHORN Merlot Three Palms Vineyard 2007

DuMOL lia Viognier 2008

EVENING LAND Pinot Noir Occidental Vineyard 2008

ILLUMINATION Sauvignon Blanc 2010

KOSTA BROWNE Pinot Noir Koplen Vineyard 2009

RIVERBENCH Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley 2009

STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN Zinfandel Eastern Exposures 2008

VON STRASSER Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2008

Best of the ** Wines

Write to us at PO Box V, Alameda, CA 94501. Our phone is 510-865-3150. Fax: 510-865-4843. Email: cgcw@aol.com. Web: www.cgcw.com.

December 2011 Index

* iu 12C Rutherford Napa Valley 2009 ip ADLER FELS Russian River Valley 2007** jm ALEXANDER VALLEY VYDS Cyrus 2007 iq ALEXANDER VALLEY VYDS 2009* iu ALPHA OMEGA Napa Valley 2008** jn ALTVS Napa Valley 2008* iu AMICI Napa Valley 2008* GV it ANCIENT PEAKS Paso Robles 2009 ir ARBIOS Alexander Valley 2006 ir ATLAS PEAK Napa Valley 2007 iq ATLAS PEAK Howell Mountain 2006 ip ATLAS PEAK Spring Mountain District 2006** jm BEAULIEU Georges de Latour Pri Res 2008* it BIALLA Napa Valley 2009* iu BJORN Howell Mountain Napa Valley 2008** jp BLACK CORDON Napa Valley 2007** jn BLACK CORDON Napa Valley 2008* iu BLUE ROCK Alexander Valley 2009 iq BLUE ROCK Alexander Valley 2008 GV ir BON ANNO Napa Valley 2008** jm BON COEUR Cuvée Marilyn 2008* jl BON COEUR Reserve Napa Valley 2008* jl BON COEUR Reserve Red Wine 2007* iu BON COEUR Cuvée Marilyn 2007 ir BON COEUR Oakville Napa Valley 2008 ir CALCAREOUS York Mountain 2007 iq CA’ MOMI Napa Valley 2008 GV iq CARMENET Collection Res California 2009* jl CASTELLO DI AMAROSA La Catellana 2008* it CASTELLO DI AMAROSA Il Barone 2008 iq CASTELLO DI AMAROSA Napa Valley 2007 GV iq CASTLE ROCK Columbia Valley 2009* jl CHALK HILL Estate Red Chalk Hill 2008* iu CH. POTELLE VGS Napa Valley 2007 ip CH. POTELLE VGS Explorer Napa 2007* it CH. STE. MICHELLE Meritage 2008 iq CH. STE. MICHELLE Cold Creek 2008* it COL SOLARE Red Wine Columbia Valley 2007* GV is COLUMBIA CREST H3 Les Chevaux 2009 GV ir COLUMBIA CREST H3 Horse Heaven 2009 ir COLUMBIA CREST Reserve Columbia 2008 io CONCANNON Conservancy Livermore 2009** jm CONN CREEK Holystone Vineyard 2007* iu CONN CREEK Stagecoach Vineyard 2007* iu CONN CREEK Truchard Vineyard 2007* it CONN CREEK Rutherford Napa Valley 2008 ir CONN CREEK Spring Mountain District 2007 iq CONN CREEK Napa Valley 2007** jm CORISON Kronos Vineyard Napa Valley 2007 ir CORISON Napa Valley 2008** jo CORLEY Yewell St. Helena Napa Valley 2008* jl CORLEY Reserve Napa Valley 2008* it CORLEY State Lane Vineyard 2008* jl CROZE De Connick Vineyards 2008

* iu CAMILLE SAVÈS Carte Blanche — ir CHARLES HEIDSIECK Brut Reserve —* iu DELAMOTTE Brut — iq DELAMOTTE Brut Rosé —** jo DUVAL-LEROY Femme/Champagne 2000* jl DUVAL-LEROY Brut Rosé —* is DUVAL-LEROY Brut 2006 — ir DUVAL-LEROY Brut Clos des Bouveries 2005 ir DUVAL-LEROY Brut —* iu FORGET-BRIMONT Brut 1er Cru —* iu FORGET-BRIMONT Extra Brut 1er Cru —* is FORGET-BRIMONT Blanc/Blancs G. Cru —

io CROZE De Connick Vineyard 2005 GV ir DANCING BULL California 2009 iq DANIEL GEHRS Central Coast 2009 ip DARCIE KENT Madden Ranch Livermore 2008** jm DARIOUSH Napa Valley 2008** jp DAVID ARTHUR Elevation 1147 2008* iu DAVID ARTHUR Meritaggio 2008* is DAVID ARTHUR Estate Napa Valley 2008* it DRY CREEK VYD The Mariner 2007** jn DUCKHORN Napa Valley 2008** jm DUCKHORN The Discussion Napa 2007* it DUCKHORN Howell Mountain 2006* is DUCKHORN Napa Valley 2007 iq EDGE Napa Valley 2009 iq EDUCATED GUESS Napa Valley 2009* is ELYSE Morisoli Vineyard Napa Valley 2006* it FAUST Napa Valley 2008* iu FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA Archimedes 2007* iu FRANK FAMILY Reserve Rutherford 2008* is FROG’S LEAP Rutherford Napa Valley 2008* it FUSE Napa Valley 2009* jl GRGICH HILLS Yountville Selection 2007** jp HALL Segassia Vineyard Mount Veeder 2008** jo HALL Bergfeld St. Helena Napa Valley 2008* iu HALL Exzellenz Sacrashe Vineyard 2008 ir HAWK AND HORSE Red Hills 2007* it HENDRY Hendry Vineyard Napa Valley 2007 iq HERITANCE Napa Valley 2008* is HERZOG Special Reserve Napa Valley 2007 ip HERZOG Special Reserve Alexander Vly 2008 ir HUGE BEAR Sonoma County 2008 ip HUNNICUTT Napa Valley 2008* jl J. DAVIES Diamond Mountain District 2008*** jq JOSEPH PHELPS Insignia Napa Valley 2008* is JOSEPH PHELPS Backus Napa Valley 2008* it J. RICKARDS Five Sisters Blend 2009* is KENWOOD Artist Series 2007 ip KENWOOD Jack London Vineyard 2008* it KNIGHTS BRIDGE To Kalon Vineyard 2008* is KNIGHTS BRIDGE Dr. Crane Vineyard 2008 ir LANDY Melange De Vin Rouge 2008* is LONG MEADOW RANCH Napa Valley 2008* jl LOUIS M. MARTINI Lot 1 Napa Valley 2008* GV is LOUIS M. MARTINI Napa Valley 2008 GV ir LOUIS M. MARTINI Sonoma County 2009 ir LOUIS M. MARTINI Alexander Valley 2008* iu LUNA Napa Valley 2007* jl MA(I)SONRY Napa Valley 2009 iq MICHAEL & DAVID Earthquake Lodi 2009* GV jl MIRO Silverwood Vineyard 2009* jl MONTICELLO Tietjen Vineyard 2008*** jr MOONE-TSAI Cor Leonis Napa Valley 2008** jn MOONE-TSAI Napa Valley 2008 iq MURIETTA’S WELL The Spur Livermore 2009

iq FORGET-BRIMONT Brut Rosé G. Cru — iq FORGET-BRIMONT Blanc/Blancs 1er Cru —* jl GONET-MEDEVILLE Rosé X Brut 1er Cru —* it GONET-MEDEVILLE Tradition 1er Cru —** jo GOSSET Grande Réserve Brut —** jm GOSSET Excellence Brut — iq GOSSET Grand Rosé — iq GUY DE CHASSEY Brut Grand Cru 2000* it HENRI ABELÉ Brut —* jl HENRIOT Brut Rosé — iq HENRIOT Brut Souverain —** jn LAHERTE FRÈRES Brut Rosé —

ir MX Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 2008 ir NAPA STATION Napa Valley 2008* iu NEWTON Unfiltered Napa Valley 2008* is NEWTON Napa County 2009 ip PAOLETTI Piccolo Cru Napa Valley 2009 iq PECH MERLE Alexander Valley 2008* iu PEJU Napa Valley 2007* is PEJU Fifty/Fifty Napa Valley 2008 ir PEJU Reserve Rutherford Napa Valley 2007** jo QUINTESSA Rutherford Napa Valley 2008 ir RAMEY Annum Napa Valley 2008 ir RAMEY Claret Napa Valley 2008* jl RICHARD PARTRIDGE Napa Valley 2007* iu RIDGE Monte Bello Estate Vineyard 2008* is ROBERT CRAIG Mt. Veeder 2008* jl ROBERT MONDAVI Reserve Napa Vly 2008** jn RODNEY STRONG Alexander’s Crown 2008 iq RODNEY STRONG Alexander Valley 2009 ir ROTH Alexander Valley 2009*** jq RUBICON Red Wine Napa Valley 2008* iu RUBICON Cask Cabernet Rutherford 2008* is ST. CLEMENT Star Vineyard Rutherford 2008 GV iq ST. FRANCIS Red Splash Sonoma 2007* it SAWYER Rutherford Napa Valley 2008* iu SEBASTIANI Cherryblock Sonoma Vly 2008* is SHANNON RIDGE Home Ranch 2009 ip SHANNON RIDGE Lake County 2009** jo SIGNORELLO Padrone Napa Valley 2008* is SIGNORELLO Estate Napa Valley 2008 iq SILVER OAK Alexander Valley 2007* is SIXTEEN BY TWENTY Napa Valley 2008* GV is SPANN The Classic Four California 2008 iq SPANN Twenty-Six Barrels 2006*** jr STAGLIN Rutherford Napa Valley 2008* it STAR LANE Astral Santa Ynez Valley 2006** jm STEVEN KENT Lineage Livermore Valley 2008* iu STONE EDGE FARM Napa Valley 2007 ir STONE EDGE FARM Surround 2007* iu SULLIVAN Reserve Rutherford 2008 ip THREE RIVERS Red Wine Columbia Vly 2009 ip THREE SAINTS Happy Canyon 2008 ir TRENTADUE La Storia Alexander Valley 2009* it VENGE Bone Ash Vineyard Napa Valley 2009 iq VENGE Silencieux Napa Valley 2009* iu VERMEIL XXXIV Proprietary Red Wine 2009* is VERMEIL Frediani Vineyard Calistoga 2008 ir VERMEIL Frediani Vineyard Calistoga 2007** jm VINE CLIFF Sixteen Rows Private Stock 2008 ir VINE CLIFF Oakville Napa Valley 2008 ir WENTE Charles Whetmore Heritage 2009* iu WHITEHALL LANE Reserve Napa Valley 2008* is WHITEHALL LANE Napa Valley 2008* jl ZD Reserve Napa Valley 2008* it ZD Napa Valley 2009

** jm LAURENT-PERRIER Cuvée Rosé Brut —* iu LAURENT-PERRIER Millésimé 2002* is LAURENT-PERRIER Ultra Brut — ir LAURENT-PERRIER Brut —* jl NICOLAS FEUILLATTE Brut Rosé — ip NICOLAS FEUILLATTE Brut —** jn PIPER-HEIDSIECK Brut 2004 —* jl PIPER–HEIDSIECK Brut —* iu TAITTINGER Prestige Rosé Brut — iq TAITTINGER Brut La Française — iq TAITTINGER Prelude Brut Grand Cru —* iu VEUVE CLICQUOT Brut Rosé —

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

CHAMPAGNE

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