Glass-staining ruby. Powerful, oak-tinged black currant, cherry, candied rose, pipe tobacco and mocha scents are accompanied by succulent herb and mineral flourishes. Sappy and seamless on the palate, offering deeply concentrated but energetic bitter cherry, dark berry liqueur, vanilla and licorice flavors that unfurl slowly through the midpalate. Youthful but well-knit tannins frame an extremely long, sweet finish that features resonating spice, mineral and floral notes. The interplay of power and finesse here is quite marvelous.

From Daniel Daou who, with his brother Georges, acquired the old Hoffman Mountain Ranch property in Paso Robles and showed what Cabernet could do in a region more readily assocated with Zinfandel and Rhône varieties. Unnecessarily heavy, embossed bottle. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdot grown at 700 m in the heart of the Adelaida District. The grapes were kept on the vine right through til the third week of October and aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak. Never acidified. Smells leathery and herbal and then on the palate it's really very sweet and almost like milk chocolate but there is quite enough acidity and this is a great counterpoint to the vogue for fresh, light reds. Here's a wine to make people take Paso Robles really seriously. Though it's just a little leathery in texture on the very end. No shortage of ambition. Many tasters will adore this. (JR)