1 | Wine | California, 2006

"Its finesse and refinement are apparent on the finish. ...Teasing with its floral, spicy cherry, wild berry and currant aromas, this is full-bodied, firm and structured, tight and focused, offering glimpses of what lies ahead with its complex mix of flavors and tightly wound tannins. Needs time. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot."

"Its dense purple color is followed by copious aromas of creme de cassis, licorice, spice box, and a touch of oak. Well-balanced, dense, pure, layered, and rich, its big, rich style is similar to the 2003. This cuvee should keep for 25-30 years in a cool cellar."-Robert Parker.

"The dense purple-colored 2006 Madrona Ranch is extraordinary. Its nose of charcoal, espresso roast, blackberries, cassis, crushed rocks, and white chocolate is followed by a ripe, pure wine with a fabulous mid-palate texture (a characteristic of all these wines), and good balance as well as length."

"The flagship wine, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select performed even better this year than last year. A candidate for one of the top “wines of the vintage,” it reveals beautiful aromas and flavors of grilled meats and herbs intertwined with extravagant amounts of blackberry and cassis fruit, licorice, and charcoal. Extremely full-bodied, pure, deep, and layered, this is another prodigious Hillside Select that should evolve for 25-30 years." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"The prodigious 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve reveals aromas of flowers, espresso roast, blackberries, and creme de cassis. This exuberant, rich, full-bodied Cabernet coats the palate, but is neither heavy nor overbearing. Sweet, substantial, well-integrated tannins along with decent acidity, and a stunningly long, 50-second finish make for a compelling glass of young, but promising Cabernet Sauvignon." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"The 2006 Cappella (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Petit Verdot) exhibits an incredibly dense purple color as well as abundant aromas of sweet cassis, chocolate, espresso, charcoal, spice, and licorice, deep full-bodied flavors, and remarkable elegance. It comes across like a hypothetical blend of a Graves and St.-Emilion." Reviewed by Robert Parker.