2004 IX Estate

(15.6% alcohol): Good deep red. Rather exotic nose combines scents of hard candy, wild sage, iron, burning embers, cayenne and tangerine; more red than black in character.Lush, seamless and sweet in the mouth but not as deep as the Cariad. Finishes broad and a bit soft, with substantial dusty tannins.

The same could be said for the 2004 IX Estate Proprietary Red, a blend of 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot. Deep purple to the rim with sweet blackberry, creosote, camphor, forest floor and fruitcake notes, sweet tannin and a layered mouthfeel, this wine builds incrementally offering up power, but also elegance. It is a spectacular wine from a great site. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. This spectacularly beautiful estate high on Pritchard Hill with magnificent views in just about every direction has been on a qualitative tear for many years. From their humble beginnings at the co-op Napa Wine Company (their first releases were in the early 1990s), to the construction of their winery and estate vineyard, quality has soared. Tel. (707) 524-4445

(59% cabernet sauvignon, 22% merlot, 13% cab franc and 6% petit verdot) Opaque ruby. Flamboyant aromas of black fruits, licorice, smoke, crushed stone, black tea, lavender and wild sage. Sweet, lush and densely packed, with the wild character following through in the mouth. This comes across as a bit less oaky than the estate's other cabernet-based wines, which are aged entirely in Taransaud barrels (this one is about three-quarters Taransaud). The higher percentage of franc here adds freshness, as well as notes of black tea and rustic herbs. Energetic and firmly built, but quite backward in the context of the vintage. Still, there's terrific fruit here; in comparison, the Cariad seems less sweet today.