Production was 10000 cases amazing when you consider how good this mountain wine is. Immediately drinkable for the soft purity of the tannins and complex cassis chocolate and oak flavors it has the sturdy structure to develop for some years but is best now for its elegant purity. Hess is on a real Cabernet roll and is one of Napa's overlooked stars.

The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Merlot aged 21 months in French oak, of which 55% was new) offers pure black currant fruit and floral notes along with unobtrusive oak, and the attractive sweetness and richness that come from ripe fruit. This pretty, elegant, well-made 2004 is best consumed over the next decade. - Robert Parker