2003 Black Sears Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, Napa

Deep and dark, this is super fleshy with currant, blackberries and class. Very verrrry impressive.

2006 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignons: Baby Poux & Cold Creek

2006 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Baby Poux Vineyard Columbia Valley. Floral notes on the nose, this is bright red fruited with gobbs of youth and promise. Red Currant with tar, cedar and cocoa, this is pretty and feminine, but no light weight. 93.5/100

2006 Sineann Cabernet Sauvignon Cold Creek Vineyard Columbia Valley. Bright red and eucalyptus, this is pure and smooth. Great length and mouthfeel. 92/100

2005 Wolf Family Cabernet Franc

(3% CS). Pretty and exact, this Cab Franc delivers elegance and full flavor. I am usually not a fan of Cab Franc alone, but this made me a believer. 93/100

2005 K Vintners Morrison & Milbrandt Syrah & Ovide

2005 K Vintners Syrah Morrison Lane, Walla Walla. A beautiful example of whats going on in Walla Walla. Great nose of candy and spice with some smokey dark blue berries and a wonderful acid level. Tannins in check, this is surely a pleaser. 93/100

2006 K Vintners Syrah Millbrandt, Walla Walla. Candy cane and gummi bears; this is a real 'fun' Syrah to behold. Full and fleshy, it is somewhat similar to the Morrison, but more in your face, where the Morrison is a bit more restrained....just a bit. 93/100

2005 K Vintners Ovide, Walla Walla. 67% Cabernet and 33% Syrah. This is a very interesting and serious wine for sure. Its structured like a cab, but explodes like a syrah. Dark fruited of cassis with stones, tar, and coffee, this is full throttle but precise. 94/100

2006 Arnot-Roberts Syrahs & 2005 Cabernet Bugay

2006 Arnot-Roberts Syrah Adler Springs. This had wonderful structure, blueberries & crushed pebbles. Fragrant and not over the top. I like what was done with this. 92/100

2006 Arnot-Roberts Syrah Hudson. 6 months more barrel time than last years Hudson, this is a brute of a wine that needs time in the bottle to show its full self. Its super concentrated and tightly knit. This reminds me of a classic Cote Rotie 92/100

2006 Arnot-Roberts Syrah Griffins Lair. Deep purple and very fragrant, this showed wonderful blueberry and black plums. Pure and class, this is a deftly balanced sublime wine indeed. 91/100

2005 Arnot-Roberts Cabernet Sauvignon Bugay, Sonoma County. I like this one this year better than the Clajeux (formerly wild iris). It had pure red black and blue fruits with a wonderful balance of acid and tannins. The tannins were finely meshed and well integrated. 90/100

2005 Outpost Cabernet Sauvignon and 2005 Outpost Cabernet Sauvignon 'True Vineyard', Howell Mountain

2005 Outpost 'True Vineyard' Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, This was one of my surprises of the day; intense, dark, and layered with red fruits this was fragrant and lovely. 92/100

2005 Outpost Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, if there are still qprs in Napa, one must be willing to pay$50-$60 for them. Here is one: Elegant and smooth full of blackberries and cassis. Bright and stellar. 90/100

2005 Merus

Polaner: 4/15/2008 In case you don't already know, this is the schnizzle. It is dark and brooding with explosive black and red fruits of currant black berry, black cherry, and black plums. It has super length and incredible mouth feel. Wow. 97/100