The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Some Days Are Diamonds is more accessible. While close in quality, it seems less marked by new oak and reveals more black cherry and black currant fruit. The texture is also more endearing as the tannins are soft. In short, at present the wine is much more gracious. These two efforts should last for 10+ years. This well-known negociant firm, which initially received a lot of recognition in this journal for their Australian wines, has branched out to California and France. The California cuvees are made at the Outpost facility on Howell Mountain, and both of these Cabernets reveal lots of new oak and plenty of ripe fruit, but any nuances or singularity of personality appears to be buried beneath whatever strategy they employed to make the wines.www.twohandswines.com

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Some Days Are Diamonds is made primarily from vineyards around Calistoga. It is a deep ruby/purple-colored effort displaying plenty of oak and earth characteristics as well as moderately high tannins. While it exhibits good texture as well as serious depth and ripeness, it shows some of the vintage’s hardness. It may turn out to be outstanding with another 2-3 years of bottle age, and should age well. Two Hands, which is well-known for their exceptional portfolio of wines from southern Australia, has branched out into Napa Valley, with the irrepressible Michael Twelftree and his partner, Richard Mintz, making serious Cabernet Sauvignon. There are about 600 cases of his luxury priced Charlie’s Patch, and 400 cases of the second wine, Some Days Are Diamonds. Both cuvees are made at the Outpost Winery on Howell Mountain, with winemaker Thomas Brown overseeing the production.www.twohandswines.com