($200) Saturated deep ruby. Utterly distinctive aromas of black raspberry, blackberry, Asia n spices, duck sauce, exotic herbs and flowers. Silky, lush and dense, with wonderfully subtle oak character. This actually comes across as tighter and leaner than the Tychson Hill, and more elegant, but this is due to the wine's surprising acidity and firm underlying structure, which also keep this blend remarkably fresh. A fascinating blend with a rising finish that's rare for North Coast red wine at this level of ripeness. This may merit an even higher score with six to eight years of additional bottle aging.

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Probably the least evolved, although certainly accessible, stunningly complex, and just a point short of pure perfection is the 2002 Cariad. It is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all purchased fruit from the David Abreu-owned and managed vineyards of Madrona Ranch in St. Helena and Thorevilos, behind the Meadowood Resort. Strikingly dark plum/purple in color, with notes of white chocolate, barbecue smoke, graphite, blueberry and blackberry liqueur as well as espresso roast, this is a tremendously complex blend that hits the palate with full-bodied opulence, terrific richness and intensity, and wonderfully silky tannins. The entire wine saturates the palate yet is never heavy, instead rather ethereal. This is an extraordinarily elegant, complex, yet authoritative example of a creative blend from some of the finest terroirs in all of Napa Valley, brought to life by the extraordinary passion and abilities of owners Ann Colgin and Joe Wender. If the other three wines seem to have fully matured, this wine probably won't reach its plateau for another 2-3 years and it will keep for 15 or more.

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Fabulous aromas of melted chocolate and brownie fold in with dark berry, cedar, sage and loamy earth flavors, rich and intense. They gain velocity and depth, firming nicely on the finish where the tannins give this structure and have a cedary tobacco leaf presence. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

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Penetrating nose of flowers, graphite, cassis and a mineral laced soil component that was strangely reminiscent of a bottle of 01' Masseto I drank last year. Maybe it's the large amount of Merlot in this wine that bears that similarity. This wine was all about finess and balanced and a wonderful sense of terroir. Probably the biggest compliment I can pay is that I kept wanting to come back for another sip all night. 96pts.