Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley the Montelena Estate 1999

Bright ruby-red. Very pure, perfumed aromas of cassis, redcurrant, black cherry, bitter chocolate, minerals and tobacco; shows none of the herbal, minty quality of the '98. Powerfully structured, primary and fresh, with firm acidity; real

Saturated, deep ruby-red. Deep aromas of blackberry, blueberry, violet and minerals; reminded me of a Pauillac. Silky on entry, then dense and sweet in the middle, conveying an impression of power. There's a youthfully medicinal quality to the dark berry and licorice flavors but unusual early sweetness and pliancy to this normally long-aging wine. Finishes with very suave tannins and impressive persistence. This is actually 14.3% alcohol, which is unusually high here. Barrett could only recall the 2004, 1994 and 1978 surpassing 14%.

The 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (an 8,600-case cuvee made from yields of 1.98 tons of fruit per acre) is considered by Bo Barrett to be a "great" year. The wine boasts a saturated inky/purple color as well as extraordinary density of fruit and cassis, and huge tannin, body, and extract. It is a substantial, palate-staining, long, muscular Cabernet that should only be purchased by connoisseurs with cold cellars as well as patience. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030.

A great wine in the making, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (just under 10,000 cases produced) possesses a fragrant bouquet of sweet black currants, crushed rocks, earth and background oak. Full-bodied and dense, with Montelena's typical power, tannin and reserved nature, this is a big, rich, formidably endowed red that requires 4-5 years of cellaring. That in itself is atypical of this exuberant, flamboyant vintage. Given this cuvée's past history, this 2007 should age for 30+ years.

Good deep ruby-red. Complex aromas of currant, licorice, graphite, bitter chocolate, smoked meat, tobacco and brown spices. Began juicy, penetrating and quite youthfully unevolved, but aeration brought a suppler, rounder texture and more generosity to this impressively structured wine. Complicating notes of bitter cherry, menthol and minerals. This will require a good eight to ten years of aging but the substantial tannins are sweet and lush. Very long, pure and powerful on the finish.

While it will not be released until 2002, the 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate exhibits an opaque, thick black/purple color, spectacular concentration, a multilayered mid-palate, the seamlessness of a great vintage, and a rich, jammy, concentrated finish. The powerful, gorgeously pure black fruits and unctuous texture suggest it will drink well young, yet be capable of 2andndash;3 decades of effortless evolution.

Bright medium ruby. Medicinal aromas of crushed cassis, blackberry syrup, bitter chocolate and licorice; I might have picked this as Latour from the nose. Then almost surprisingly sweet and silky in the mouth; comes across as more pliant than the 2004 but with more acidity. This demonstrates less obvious concentration and power but boasts lovely balance and aromatic persistence. With less of the medicinal licorice and tarry quality on the end, this may well develop "naturally," as Barrett predicts.