3 | Wine | Cabernet Sauvignon, 91 to 95 | Page 2

"Saturated red-ruby. Currant, graphite, wild herbs, cedar and sexy oak on the nose, lifted by a floral topnote. A broad and very elegant midweight (I would not have guessed that it was carrying 15.2% alcohol), with lively cassis and floral flavors burnished by mellow oak tones. Lovely fine-grained, long cabernet with excellent lift." -Stephen Tanzer

"The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 Estate is dark rich and intensely satisfying. Layers of dark fruit flow effortlessly from this big, textured Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2009 possesses gorgeous mid-palate depth and stunning overall balance, especially relative to other recent vintages. This is a super-impressive showing."

"The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature is a dark, mysterious beauty endowed with considerable depth and richness. Mocha, chocolate, spices and plums fuse together gracefully as this soft, supple wine takes shape in the glass. I very much like the immediacy of the 2010. Only a little bit of persistence is missing on the finish, but not enough to materially detract from what is a gorgeous bottle of wine. For Napa Valley standards, this is about as good as it gets for the money."

"The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon opens with enticing scents of raspberry jam, sweet herbs and spices. There is a centeredness and a poise to the 2009 that give the wine its sense of harmony and total balance. Sweet, floral notes reappear on the engaging finish. As good as this is today, it will only be better in another 2-3 years. This is another fabulous effort from Chimney Rock."

"Rich and meaty, with a dense, gutsy core of loamy earth, dried herb and berry, and tobacco. Firm and structured, harboring compact mountain-grown fruit that will reward cellaring."

"The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Monument is a beautiful wine. Dark cherries, mocha, plums, spices, mint, minerals and graphite are woven together in this effortless, totally captivating wine. The 2009 impresses for its nuance, clarity and precision."

"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."

"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 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is brighter, fresher and more vibrant than the 2009. Black cherries, mocha, violets, licorice and graphite all jump from the glass. The 2010 is quite typical of the vintage in its verve, cut, focus and minerality. This is a terrific showing."