The 2006 Guidalberto is timid and understated on first nose. Give it time and this wine opens to enormous elegance and grace. Steep diurnal shifts toward the end of the growing season helped to enhance the wine's aromatic offerings and persistence. In fact, the depth and beauty of the bouquet is its strongest card. It reveals small berry tones with cassis, wild cherry and dried cranberry. Quick to follow are ethereal tones of licorice, balsam herb and dried ginger. The impact is tight, focused and long-lasting. This edition of Guidalberto shows extremely fine tannins and a silky texture. It has aged beautifully. You can drink it now or wait a little bit longer.

Aromas of toasty oak and ripe fruit lead to a full body, with a solid core of fruit and a chewy finish. Needs some time to come around. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best after 2011. 12,000 cases made. -JS