The Venge hand is clearly all over this rich, deep and oh-so luscious, inviting wine. It may not please the "less is more" crowd, but it will make everyone else very happy with its layered, sophisticated, well-stuffed aromas and flavors that run the gamut from cassis, briar and green olives to rich, caramelly oak that fills in every nook and crevice and makes this one into a complete, delicious and ageworthy package. It is the kind of wine that can serve now with savory long-cooked meats yet has the depth and inner strength to emerge with a fair bit of finesse a decade hence and pair up with a crown rack of lamb. *Two Stars*

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve fleshes out in all directions with an exciting tapestry of sweet tobacco, incense, dried Provençal herbs, espresso, black cherries and plums. This is a decidedly full-bodied intense wine from Venge. The tannins are quite firm, suggesting the wine needs time to soften, but regardless, the power and concentration are impressive. (AG)

Dark, dense and extracted, offering chewy tannins and flavors of exotic spices, mineral and crushed rock, with deeply perfumed currant and blackberry fruit that requires patience. Like many 2009s, this is an immense wine with a distinctive structure. (JL)