1 | Wine | Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008

"Our 2008 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark, rich full-bodied wine with great tannic structure and mouth-feel. It has a garnet color and a nose of ripe boysenberries, cherry liqueur, dark chocolate, sandalwood and a hint of roasting meat. On the palate, it is mouth-coating and incredibly rich in umami. It has a very long, savory finish with the slight grip of fine-grained tannins. Given proper cellaring, this wine should give drinking pleasure through 2030."

"Notably elegant and refined, this is polished at points, firm on the finish. The core black cherry and blackberry flavors are fresh and lively."

"A tight, vivid, juicy, concentrated yet graceful youngster, focused on dense mineral, dark berry, currant and blackberry fruit, ending with chewy tannins and notes of espresso and spice. Comes on the heels of a 2007 that seemed out of sync with the vintage."

"The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a gorgeous, mid-weight wine laced with mint, cassis, sweet herbs and tobacco. It is an understated, gracious wine from start to finish. This is a relatively approachable vintage for the Estate. It shows tons of finesse and mid-palate generosity while maintaining a medium-bodied personality. Today it is quite young, although it is drinking well. Readers who prefer more tertiary notes will want to cellar the wine for at least a few years."

"The 2008 Madrona Ranch opens with an incredibly expressive bouquet. Espresso, mocha and licorice meld into dark red fruit and sweet exotic spices in this superb wine. The 2008 is an extraordinarily polished, refined wine for the vintage. Sweet spiced and floral notes reappear to round out the finish."

"Our 2008 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark, rich full-bodied wine with great tannic structure and mouth-feel. It has a garnet color and a nose of ripe boysenberries, cherry liqueur, dark chocolate, sandalwood and a hint of roasting meat. On the palate, it is mouth-coating and incredibly rich in umami. It has a very long, savory finish with the slight grip of fine-grained tannins. Given proper cellaring, this wine should give drinking pleasure through 2030."

"Another blockbuster, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder, which has the largest production, exhibits a deep blue/purple color along with notes of burning embers, charcoal, sweet black currant liqueur, licorice and scorched earth. It possesses fabulous fruit along with full-bodied power, a voluptuous texture and beautiful density as well as richness." -Robert Parker