This one is singing, with pitch-perfect black currant and black cherry fruit lined with warm earth and cast iron threads to feel present but not overwhelming, while dried bay leaf, alder and black tea fill in throughout. There’s also a sneaky latent juicy edge that helps give the fruit a finishing kick. This is delicious now, but there's plenty of life ahead. (JM)

The 2001 Mayacamas cabernet is a terrific bottle in the making, and will only need a good ten to twelve years in the cellar to fully blossom and deliver on the promise that is so readily manifest in the glass today. The bouquet is deep, pure and very vibrant, as it jumps from the glass in a blaze of black cherries, tobacco, great minerality, a nice touch of dark chocolate, youthful notes of bell pepper and a violet topnote. On the palate the wine is fullish, deep, tangy and beautifully focused, with superb transparency down to the soil, zesty acids, ripe tannins and great length and grip n the pure and palate staining finish. Most impressive.