($125) Bright ruby. Roasted, medicinal aromas of currant, espresso, bitter chocolate and minerals. Thick, fat and sweet, with compelling opulence for a cabernet-dominated wine (this is Seillan's Pauillac blend) and an almost exotic berry flavor. Finishes with sweeter tannins than the 2001 Muse, perhaps a testament to the superiority of high-quality cabernet sauvignon.

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The 2001 La Joie (71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc) remains a backward, youthful wine revealing an inky/purple color as well as notes of graphite, licorice, creme de cassis, truffles and new saddle leather. It has fabulous fruit on the attack and mid-palate, a massive, concentrated, tannic mouthfeel and a long finish. Even younger than La Muse, it needs another decade of cellaring and should age for 40-50 years thereafter. Pierre Seillan told me that 44% of the grapes came from Alexander Valley, 35% from Knight's Valley and the rest from Chalk Hill.

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