Vine Cliff’s 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Pickett Road Vineyard (in the Calistoga AVA) boasts a dense ruby/purple hue along with sweet aromas of cedar, loamy soil, black currants, incense, Asian spices and subtle toasty oak. Supple textured, round, generous and seductive, it is almost an anomaly coming from this area of northeast Napa Valley. It should drink well for 15+ years. Tel. (707) 944-1364

The most tannic and closed of Vine Cliff’s magnificent array of ’07 Cabernets. It’s hard, with a bite of acidity, but it doesn’t take much for the richness to explode. Blackberries, black currants, dark chocolate, butterscotch, sweet cinnamon spice, the list goes on and on. So rich and decadent, you can enjoy it now, but it will gather momentum over the next 6–8 years. ——S.H.(12/15/2010)—— 95