A sure crowd-pleaser in that it delivers nothing but wholesome likable aromas and flavors. It's rustic enough to have its own personality while still sticking close enough to what we expect from Napa Cabernet: black fruit coffee even some cinnamon...

A good effort is the 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon). Forty percent of this cuvee comes from estate fruit grown on Spring Mountain and the rest is purchased. Its straightforward black currant tobacco new oak and smoke-scented bouquet is followed by a ripe supple-textured medium to full-bodied rich wine. Although it lacks the necessary complexity and additional richness to merit a higher score it is very good. Consume it over the next decade.