The 2005 Re Serve Cabernet Sauvignon is the product of 60-year-old vines with the wine spending 20 months in new French oak. It is a selection of the three best barrels of the R series. Opaque purple-colored, it offers an alluring array of toast, smoke, plum, blackberry, and black currant scents. Mouth-filling, it has gobs of fruit and a soft tannin blanket. Admirably combining elegance and power, it has impeccable balance which should result in a 20-30 year lifespan.The R series features Cabernet Sauvignon from the Barossa and a Rose of Cabernet Sauvignon from McLaren Vale. The labels portray different takes on the letter “R”. Consumers owe it to themselves to read the witty back labels.R Wines is a new company founded by importer and marketing genius, Dan Philips, along with co-owner, renowned winemaker, Chris Ringland. Winemakers for R Wines are Chris Ringland, Lisa Wetherell, Andrew Hercock, and John Hughes. It encompasses four familiar labels, Marquis Philips, 3 Rings, Roogle, and Bitch, along with 13 others created especially for R Wines. Needless to say, the packaging of these wines is amazingly creative but, more importantly, what is in the bottle consistently over-delivers from low-end to high-end.Importer: Dan Philips, The Grateful Palate, Oxnard, CA; (805) 278-9095