($130) Good deep red-ruby. Bound-up nose offers cassis, licorice and mint, plus a suggestion of sweet butter. Suave, sweet and primary, with black cherry and black licorice flavors lifted by a minty nuance. This dense, silky fruit bomb really spreads out to saturate the palate. Wonderfully fine-grained and fresh on the finish, which features sweet tannins and terrific length. The best vintage yet for this bottling, thanks in large part to a very low crop level.

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After a somewhat disappointing 2003, Hourglass's 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, made by well-known consulting winemaker Bob Foley, is a blockbuster, opulent, complex, deep ruby/purple effort. Beautiful aromas of melted licorice, white chocolate, creme de cassis, flowers, and background oak soar from this bewitching, opulent, fleshy, succulent Cabernet. This full-bodied beauty will provide delicious drinking early on, and age nicely for 10-15 years.

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A mix of dusty mint, sage and racy Cabernet aromas are joined on the palate by rich currant and blackberry fruit that's focused, intense and concentrated, ending with a loamy Cabernet aftertaste. 600 cases made.

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Bob Foley is considered one of the top winemakers in Napa Valley and consistently puts great juice into the bottles for his clients. It is rare to get such a quality consensus among wine critics on any wine. Nevertheless, our 94 point rating was matched by identical scores from International Wine Cellar and The Wine Advocate. It also received a score of 91 points from The Wine Spectator. The magnums are a rare format for this producer and we are one of a handful of retailers in the country who received an allocation.

Anise and chocolate mocha nose also showing blackberry and toast. The palate shows beautiful ripeness, cranberry, toasty blackberry.

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A nice Cabernet with classic California characteristics but this wasn't exceptional. Had in a blind tasting alongside five other 2003 and 2004 cabs. This was one of the higher rated wines in the flight but finished second to last. Certainly not a bad bottle- it was quite tasty - but not worth it for the price in my view. Nice mouthfeel though and I enjoyed the mellowed tannins and lingering finish.