2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Wine

This wine typically starts life out as a young, tannic puppy, and although it has ripe flavors and a suppleness that can handle rich meats and cheeses, it's best to cellar it. This vintage is quite undeveloped, wrapped in tannic astringency, but with a hopeful core of fruit that should age well from 2008 on.

Another brilliant offering is the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve. It possesses a dense ruby/purple color along with terrific structure, lots of creme de cassis, minerality, beautiful purity of black currants and cherries, a judicious touch of oak, and a full-bodied, structural profile that is almost Bordeaux-like. This complete, rich and promising effort should be a 25-30-year wine.

The wine shows off dense Cabernet Sauvignon character accented with vanilla, balancing spices and toasty oak from traditional barrel aging.

Introducing the latest installment in the immensely popular CWS Cabernet Sauvignon series, the 2008 CWS Reserve Lot 31 Napa Valley. A worthy successor to last year's highly successful Sonoma County release, which sold out almost immediately, this release offers deep Cabernet Sauvignon notes of fresh cedar, mint and blackberry, layered over a classic Napa Valley structure.

Sonoma County is a diverse growing region with a complex terrain of small valleys, benchlands and hillsides. A coastal appellation, it is favored with fog in the morning and sunny afternoons cooled by maritime breezes. From the cool Carneros area in the south to the more moderate Russian River and Alexander Valleys further north, a wide variety of grapes can enjoy the optimum climate to achieve rich varietal flavor.

Made in a more masculine style, the 2008 Dominus has all of that along with bigger body and more structure, fat, density and texture. Both are brilliant wines and they represent the finest back-to-back vintages for Dominus since 2001 and 2002 or 1990 and 1991. Both the 2007 and 2008 Dominus should drink well for 25-30 years.

Deep crimson, with brick red hues. the 2008 Jester Cabernet shows liquorice, nutmeg and cassis notes which provide a lift to the subtle hints of French oak. Well rounded on the palate, the firm tannins are complemented by nuances of chocolate, blackcurrant and earth. Food Match: Morrocan style lamb curry with eggplant and chickpeas

The 2008 Monte Bello is striking. It is a decidedly muscular Monte Bello endowed with layers of dark fruit. Tobacco, mint, asphalt and crushed rocks develop in the glass, adding tons of complexity and finesse. A long, saline finish rounds things out beautifully. In 2008 the cold growing season stretched into October and the wine definitely has the feel of a cool vintage. The spring frost and the second year of drought conditions lowered yields significantly. Yields were just 1.25 tons per acre on average, but some of the older vineyards came in at less than 1 ton per acre. The balance of fruit, tannin and structure is simply extraordinary, but the wine needs time, most likely lots of it. In 2008 the blend is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038.

"This lovely wine shows the soft tannins and herbaceousness you often find in Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignons. That dried herb taste accompanies blackberry and black currant fruit. It's classic Silver Oak, dry and elegant."

Showcasing the best of our two Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards that define our Napa Valley blend. Lovely dark red color. Ripe black cherry, earth and dried herb aromas. Medium to full body with dense fruit and oak flavors. Chewy, but balanced tannin. Young!