Full, saturated ruby. Superripe, almost liqueur-like aromas and flavors of black fruits, violet and dark chocolate. Wonderfully lush and dense, combining the firmness of its 44% cabernet franc component, with the broad, violety thickness of its 44% merlot. Spreads out to saturate the palate on the very ripe, classically dry back end, where the tannins melt into the wine. This has the highest pH of these 2007s but is still a moderate 3.71

A profound blend of 44% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec, with 56% of the fruit from Chalk Hill, 26% from the Alexander Valley Mountain Estate, 14% from Knight’s Valley and 4% from Bennett Valley, the 2007 is a wine of unbelievable intensity. It boasts a deep blue/purple color as well as notes of acacia flowers, graphite, licorice, blackberries, blueberries and a hint of burning embers/charcoal, superb intensity and purity, and abundant tannin in the finish. This massive wine needs 5-6 more years of bottle age, and is meant for 35-40 years of cellaring.