Full ruby. Scented nose of blueberry, graphite, licorice and wild herbs, with a slight medicinal quality I associate with this vintage. Dense, sweet and fat, with superb depth of flavor and compelling sweetness. Finishes with big, tongue-dusting tannins. Less obvious today than the 2000 but this has terrific structure and potential.

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The 1999 Proprietary Red (a 500-case blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot) offers a dense ruby/purple color as well as a gorgeous Bordeaux-like bouquet of mocha, menthol, scorched earth, black cherries, currants, smoke, and toasty oak. The wine is expressive and full-bodied, with stunning concentration yet admirable delineation. Its moderately high tannin in the finish suggests considerable patience is warranted.

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A touch earthy and leathery, giving it a sense of dryness, with leather-mineral-scented tannins, this is a dark, rich, high-extract, muscular style that needs time to reveal its depth and complexity, with chewy currant, herb, anise, mineral and earth flavors. Will benefit from short- to mid-term cellaring. Cabernet Franc and Merlot. 300 cases made.

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