(7/19/2008) USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville - 2 hour decant. Super dark crimson color. Opaque and dense. The nose gives very little: cola, blackberry and camphor. The palate has a sweet profile that is packed 10 deep with black fruits of blackberry, black plum, cassis, & black cherry cola. Slightly angular and four square. Big chewy tannins and maybe a wee bit of oak popping its head up as the vanilla is encircling the camp. This is a black hole of a cabernet for sure. Good structure. A decent finish and Bobs you uncle...sort of. A well made wine indeed, but I can see it not being everyone's cup 'o tea. It's more loud and noisy and could use a little refinement & class. Time may help, but I would hate to see what fruit is here go south in that time. (90 pts.) Next day (after 24 hour decant)- Different day.....different wine.More 'aged' color on the edges with some purple popping through. The nose shows a little more in the way of dark fruits. I sense some cassis today (yea!). The mouthfeel is bigger and so is the alcohol. It's actually more 'full' today than yesterday. with more texture and more concentration. This one needs many years cellar time. The cola bubbles in the nose are gone (yea!). I actually like this more today. It shows more of everything today. It may well be wonderful tomorrow, but I will never know....92 points.
