Production: 9,008 cases; Alcohol: 14.6%; Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon; Harvest Dates: September 10 to October 24. The 2007 Private Reserve is composed of 34% Bancroft Ranch, 33% Steinhauer Ranch, 8% Chabot Vineyard, 8% Lampyridae, and the remainder from St. Helena Home Vineyard, Marston Ranch and Rancho del Oso fruit. A mild spring and summer with only a handful of heat spikes was followed by beautiful weather in September and October. One of the finest Private Reserves made over the last two decades, this phenomenal wine is obviously still an infant in terms of development, but it exhibits a dense purple color as well as an extraordinary nose of blackberries, white chocolate, licorice, tobacco leaf, smoky barbecue, charcoal and a burning ember-like note reminiscent of a Graves from Bordeaux. A dense, luscious, full-bodied, opulent style, with sweet tannin, this locked and loaded, intense, full throttle Private Reserve should be accessible in 5-6 years and last for 25-30.

Exuberant nose of black cherry and currant, charcoal, smoke and vanilla. Lighter than suggested by the nose with ripe chewy tannins and black fruit.

Quite good and rich in jammy berry, cherry, cassis and oak flavors, but there’s a certain obvious appeal that lacks complexity, and it’s not what you expect from a wine of this reputation and price. This bottling has been falling off from the glories of the 1990s for some years now. A pity. Hopefully the trend will reverse. Production was 9,008 cases. ——S.H.(2/1/2011)—— 87