The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered is young and vigorous with an opaque ruby/purple color, an appealing set of aromatics consisting of plum, allspice, cassis, new saddle leather, spice box and earth. medium to full-bodied, elegant, yet authoritative, it possesses silky tannins, adequate acidity and a long, layered, multidimensional finish. The acid gives vigor and delineation, and this wine is another example of a vintage that seems to retain remarkable freshness and youthfulness. At age ten, this full-bodied classic from the lower slopes of Spring Mountain should age effortlessly for another 20 years.

Even longer-lived than the Merlot, are the 4,000 or so cases of 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered. What people don’t realize is that proprietress Su Hua Newton completely declassified the 2003 and 2004 vintages, as she just wasn’t happy with them. This is her first vintage since 2002. The wine is deep ruby/purple in color and exhibits notes of underbrush, black truffle, creme de cassis, incense, and a hint of earth. It is full-bodied, powerful, but at the same time elegant, pure, and moderately tannic. This wine needs another 2-4 years of bottle age, and should age nicely for 20-25 years. One of the most spectacularly beautiful vineyards, high on the lower slopes of Spring Mountain, is Newton Vineyards. Organically farmed and impeccably manicured, this was one of the first outposts to which famed Bordeaux consultant Michel Rolland came, and an entire generation of winemakers formed by his brilliance have emerged from Newton. The overall style of the wine is one built on European elegance and longevity. The vintages from the early 1990s are still doing well, especially the 1990 and 1991.Tel. (707) 963-9000; Fax (707) 944-1123