Quite a noble, interesting wine that bears comparing with the best of Napa Valley. It’s bone dry, with softly dusty tannins backed with a firm hit of clean acidity. The flavors are somewhat herbal, with a sage and tobacco edge to the blackberries, dark chocolate and graphite. Feels classy and important, but young. Better after 2012. ——S.H.(3/1/2010)—— 94

I have enjoyed some brilliant examples of Ravenswood's Pickberry, but the 1995 does not appear to be one of them. Although it is a very good wine, the tart, high acid level makes me suspicious of an over-zealous acid adjustment, and the raw new oak, which has not yet meshed with the fruit, is off-putting. Nevertheless, the wine exhibits a deep ruby/purple color, attractive sweet, smoky, herb-tinged, black-cherry, and blackcurrant aromas and flavors, medium body, and an elegant, polished style. Given this winery's history of past performances, this wine did not perform as well as I expected. It did not appear to be of the same high quality as previous releases from top vintages. (Tasted in barrel.) Tel. (707) 938-1960

I had severe reservations about this wine in barrel, and those concerns have become magnified after tasting it from bottle. The wine, a blend of 63% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 16% Cabernet Franc, was tough as nails, lean, backward and tannic from barrel. Now that it has been bottled, it possesses similar characteristics, with an even bigger hole in the mid-palate. It tastes attenuated in the finish, and has a dull, muted nose. In fact, my rating may prove to be generous. This is a disappointing performance from one of my favorite wineries. Tel. (707) 938-1960; Fax (707) 938-9459

Ravenswood's wines are not for those tasters seeking subtle, lighter-styled offerings. The impressively built, opaque purple-colored 1993 Pickberry is an extremely powerful, chewy wine with considerable fruit extraction, huge body, high tannin, and superb purity and richness. It requires 5-6 years of cellaring and will drink well for 20+ years. It may turn out to be as good as the glorious 1992. For now, I would give the 1992 a slight edge because its fruit quality and texture provide more fat and intensity. However, that is splitting straws. Tel (707) 938-1960

I had high praise for this wine when I tasted it from the barrel last year. The bottled product has turned out to be as superb as I had expected. Initially, the wine appears closed and backward, but wonderfully endowed and rich. I left the wine decanted overnight, and the next day it revealed an extraordinary fragrance of Asian spices, new wood, smoke, and black fruits. It opened considerably, offering magnificently rich, black-cherry and blackcurrant fruit, full body, and significant tannin. To fully enjoy this wine I suggest at least two hours of breathing in a decanter prior to consumption, as airing transformed this offering from a huge, hulking, formidable mass of fruit and tannin into a compelling wine. It should hit its peak in 7-8 years and last for two decades. Tel. (707) 938-1960