2006 Arnot-Roberts Syrah "North Block" Hudson Vineyard (USA, California, Napa Valley, Carneros)

This wine is all about fragrance and the 'berry'. On sight its dark and ominous. The nose has all fresh cut flowers, small black berries, blueberry compote. Palate shows an amazing breed and structure--Hudson in the house. Its purity and precision is uncanny. Its tannins complicated but behaving. Balance is deft. A long berry filled finish brings this into the barn nicely. If I to find complaint, it's that this closed about an hour after opened. It went from big and showy to refined and quiet. Initially it was all nose. I think this still needs some time in bottle to show its fullest. Just a hair behind the 2005 overall. I do love this wine. 92 pts

2001 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Cask Morisoli Vineyard (USA, California, Napa Valley)

A very pretty nose of crushed red & black currant, creme de cassis and Kirsch with an interesting underlying creaminess. The palate brings all of that forward with the added bonus of some sweet black cherries, pomegranate, plum pudding, Asian tea, spring flowers and sun warmed river rock. It has a unctuousness about it that really shines through. A medium plus weighted wine with silky almost resolved tannins & perfect balance. Not a showy wine at all, but not exactly a wallflower either, this has some wonderful grace and structure. A wonderful interplay of red & black fruits. I think the 'Morisoli'ness shows in the prettiness and class this shows. A long finish really brings this one home. 93 pts