Roy Estate Roy Estate-Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

The elegant, dark ruby/purple-colored 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) reveals hints of white chocolate, black currants, ripe mountain berries, loamy soil, and earthy characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, with loads of structure and tannin as well as excellent purity, richness, and length, it will benefit from 1andndash;3 years of bottle age, and should drink nicely for 10andndash;15 years.

Good deep ruby-red. Complex aromas of black raspberry, cassis, smoked meat, leather, black olive and chocolate. Fresh but distinctly wild on the palate, with somewhat funky notes of cured meat and leather. This distinctly sauvage wine carries its sweetness to the finish, where a heavy load of nutty oak makes for some drying tannins. Incidentally, this was the best of three bottles I tasted of this wine; the other two showed herbal and truffley components in addition to the animal and leather character andmdash; and a bit less life in the mouth despite some slightly edgy acidity. This vineyard on thin, rocky soil at the bottom of Soda Canyon was planted by Helen Turley; Philippe Melka took over winemaking with the 2005 vintage.

Good deep ruby-red. Complex aromas of black raspberry, cassis, smoked meat, leather, black olive and chocolate. Fresh but distinctly wild on the palate, with somewhat funky notes of cured meat and leather. This distinctly sauvage wine carries its sweetness to the finish, where a heavy load of nutty oak makes for some drying tannins. Incidentally, this was the best of three bottles I tasted of this wine; the other two showed herbal and truffley components in addition to the animal and leather character — and a bit less life in the mouth despite some slightly edgy acidity. This vineyard on thin, rocky soil at the bottom of Soda Canyon was planted by Helen Turley; Philippe Melka took over winemaking with the 2005 vintage.

The elegant, dark ruby/purple-colored 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) reveals hints of white chocolate, black currants, ripe mountain berries, loamy soil, and earthy characteristics. Medium to full-bodied, with loads of structure and tannin as well as excellent purity, richness, and length, it will benefit from 1–3 years of bottle age, and should drink nicely for 10–15 years.