Melange: Wine List


	Bubble by the Glass

	Coppola “Sofia,” Monterey, California, N.V. 9.00 Riondo Pink Prosecco Raboso, Spago Argento, Italy Split, N.V. 8.00 Ca’ Tullio Prosecco, Extra Dry, N.V, Friuli, Italy N.V. 9.00 Monmousseau ‘Brut Etoile,’ Loire, France, N.V. 10.00 Pommery Pop Champagne, Niemes, France Split, N.V. 16.00 Evergreen Vineyards, “Spruce Goose,” Pinot Sparkling N.A., Willamette, N.V. 7.00

	White by the Glass

	Zeppelin Riesling, Mosel, Germany, 2008 6.50 Trimbach Riesling, Alsace, 2006 7.50 Craggy Range, Fletchers Family Riesling, Marlborough, N.Z., 2008 10.00 Schloss Gobelsburg, Gruner Veltliner, Heiligenstein, Austria, 2008 9.50 Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa, 2008 9.00 New Gewurz, Gewurztraminer, Alexander Valley, 2007 7.50 St. Supery Virtu Meritage, Napa, 2006 9.00 Evergreen Vineyards, “Spruce Goose,” Pinot Gris, Willamette, 2006 9.00 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige, Italy, 2008 10.00 Dry Creek, Fume Blanc, Sonoma, 2007 7.50 Craggy Range Te Muna Road Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough, N.Z., 2008 10.00 Michael Pozzan Chardonnay, Russian River, Napa, 2007 6.50 Coppola Chardonnay, “Directors Cut,” Russian River, 2007 8.00 Ramey Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, Sonoma, 2007 12.50 Torres Santa Digna Cabernet Rosé, Valle Central, Chile, 2008 6.50

	Red by the Glass

	Martin Ray Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara, 2007 12.00 Cloudline Pinot Noir, Willamette, Oregon, 2007 9.00 Plungerhead Zinfandel, Lodi, 2007 9.00 Norman “Monster” Zinfandel, Paso Robles, 2006 10.00 Eral Bravo Urano Malbec, Mendoza, 2007 8.00 Leese-Fitch Merlot, Sonoma Blend, 2007 8.00 Parcel 41 Merlot, Napa, 2006 11.00 Craggy Range, Te Kahu, Merlot Blend, Hawkes Bay, N.Z., 2006 10.00 Vinos De Terrunos La Milla, Monastrell, Spain, 2005 8.00 Camparron Crianza, Toro, Spain 2005 8.00 Red Car Boxcar Syrah, Sonoma Coast 2007 9.00 Kermit Lynch, Cotes Du Rhone, S. Rhone, France, 2007 9.00 Steltzner Claret Stag’s Leap District, Napa 2006 11.00 Estancia Meritage, Sonoma, 2006 11.00 Joel Gott ‘815’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, Paso Robles, Lake & Mendocino, 2007 9.00 Simi, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, 2006 12.00 Michael Pozzan “Cuvee 12” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 2006 8.00 Casale Vecchio “Farnese,” Montepulciano, Abruzzi, Italy, 2007 10.00 Tiziano, Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy 2007 7.00

	Champagne, Sparkling Wine, and Bubbles by the Bottle

	102 Ca’ Tullio Prosecco, Extra Dry, Friuli, Italy, N.V. 26.00 103 Monmousseau Brut Etoile, Loire, France, N.V. 25.00 202 Veuve Clicquot, “Yellow Label,” Champagne, France, N.V. 75.00 203 Moet & Chandon, “Brut Imperial Rose,” Champagne, France N.V. 95.00 204 Perrier Jouet, Grand Brut, Epernay, France, N.V. 60.00 205 Piper-Heidseick, “Cuvee Brut,” Reims, France, N.V. 72.00 206 Moet & Chandon, “Dom Perignon,” Epernay, France, 1999 225.00 207 Roederer, “Cristal,” Reims, France, 2002 325.00 208 Roederer Estate Brut, Anderson Valley, N.V. 40.00 209 Gloria Ferrer, Blanc de Noir, Sonoma, N.V. 35.00 104 Coppola “Sofia,” Monterey, N.V. 36.00 210 Dibon Cava Brut Reserve, Vilafranca del Penedes, Spain, N.V. 22.00

	Chardonnay by the Bottle

	302 Sonoma Cutrer “Les Pierrers,” Sonoma, 2004 65.00 303 Desert Wind Bare Naked Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, 2005 29.00 304 Domaine Chandon, Carneros, 2006 34.00 106 Ramey Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, Sonoma, 2007 50.00 306 Kistler, Les Noisetiers, Sonoma Coast, 2007 85.00 107 Coppola, “Directors Cut,” Russian River, 2007 31.00 326 Nickel & Nickel, Searby Vineyard, Russian River, 2007 58.00 308 Chalk Hill, Napa, 2005 65.00 309 Miner “Wild Yeast,” Napa, 2005 80.00 310 Stags Leap Wine Cellars, “Karia,” Napa, 2005 55.00 311 Pahlmeyer “Jayson,” Napa, 2006 65.00 313 Frog’s Leap, Napa, 2007 45.00 314 Newton “Unfiltered,” Napa, 2006 80.00 316 Shafer, “Red Shoulder Ranch,” Napa, 2006 75.00 317 Cakebread, Napa, 2008 65.00 108 Michael Pozzan, Russian River, Napa, 2007 25.00 320 Bollini, Trentino, Italy, 2007 24.00 350 Joseph Drouhin Chablis, Burgundy, France, 2006 41.00 321 Olivier Leflaive “Les Settiles,” Burgundy, France, 2007 30.00 322 Louis Jadot, Burgundy, France, 2007 27.00 323 Domaine Larochette-Manciat, Macon-Morizottes, Burgundy, France, 2007 32.00 324 Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, Côte de Beaune, France, 2006 75.00

	Lighter, Dry & Less Fruity Whites by the Bottle

	110 Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, Alto Adige, Italy, 2008 36.00 502 King Estate, Pinot Gris, Willamette, 2007 30.00 111 Evergreen Vineyards Spruce Goose, Pinot Gris, Willamette, 2006 24.00 112 Dry Creek, Fume Blanc, Sonoma, 2007 28.00 503 Grgich, Fume Blanc, Napa, 2006 50.00 504 Boschendal Reserve, Sauvignon Blanc, Paarl, S. Africa, 2007 30.00 505 Cloudy Bay, Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, N.Z., 2005 65.00 506 Newharbor, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, N.Z., 2008 30.00 160 Craggy Range Te Muna Road Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough, N.Z., 2008 36.00 507 Groth Sauvignon Blanc, Napa, 2007 35.00 508 Bastianich “B” Sauvignon, Friuli, Italy, 2007 32.00 509 Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc, Napa, 2007 46.00 510 Pascal Jolivet, Sancerre, Loire Valley, 2007 40.00 525 Pezat, Bordeaux Blanc Sec, Bordeaux, 2007 32.00 511 Bonny Doon, Le Cigare Blanc, Santa Cruz, California, 2006 35.00 512 Tablas Creek, Côtes de Tablas Blanc, Paso Robles, 2008 38.00 513 Torres Santa Digna Cabernet Rosé, Valle Central, Chile, 2008 24.00

	Exciting Wines by the Bottle

	114 Zeppelin Riesling, Mosel, Germany, 2008 26.00 115 Trimbach Riesling, Alsace, 2006 28.00 161 Craggy Range, Fletchers Family Riesling, Marlborough, N.Z., 2008 36.00 116 Schloss Gobelsburg, Gruner Veltliner, Heiligenstein, Austria, 2008 38.00 603 Saint M, Riesling, Pfalz, Germany, 2006 27.00 604 Struktur, Riesling, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany, 2004 35.00 117 New Gewurz, Gewurztraminer, Alexander Valley, 2007 30.00 605 Kestrel Vintners ‘Platinum White,’ Gewurztraminer/Viognier, Yakima, N.V. 22.00 606 White Night Viognier, Clarksburg, 2007 24.00 607 Sokol Blosser, “Evolution,” White Blend, Dundee Hills, Oregon, 2006 38.00 118 St Supery Virtu Meritage, Napa, 2006 37.00 609 Conundrum, White Blend, Rutherford, 2007 45.00 154 Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa, 2008 36.00

	Pinot Noir by the Bottle

	152 Martin Ray, Santa Barbara, 2007 46.00 903 Hartford, “Land’s Edge,” Santa Rita Hills, Sonoma, 2005 50.00 902 Definitive, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma 2007 29.00 905 Saintsbury, Carneros, 2007 48.00 906 Sanford, Santa Barbara, 2006 50.00 907 Etude, Carneros, 2006 65.00 925 Oak Knoll, Red Hill Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2005 42.00 908 Domaine Drouhin, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2006 70.00 120 Cloudline, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2007 36.00 909 Willamette Valley Vineyards, “Whole Cluster,” Oregon, 2007 38.00

	Zinfandel by the Bottle

	918 Kenwood “Jack London Vineyard,” Sonoma, 2006 42.00 920 Dry Creek “Heritage,” Sonoma, 2006 28.00 919 Ridge Three Valleys, Sonoma, 2007 42.00 921 Duckhorn “Parraduxx,” Napa, 2006 75.00 123 Plungerhead Lodi, 2007 33.00 124 Norman “Monster,” Paso Robles, 2006 38.00

	Merlot by the Bottle

	162 Craggy Range, Te Kahu, Merlot Blend, Hawkes Bay, N.Z., 2006 36.00 121 Leese-Fitch Merlot, Sonoma Blend, 2007 30.00 910 Sebastiani, Sonoma, 2005 30.00 911 Meeker “Handprint,” Sonoma, 2004 65.00 916 Twomey, Napa, 2004 100.00 917 Miner “Stagecoach,” Napa, 2004 60.00 913 Merryvale “Starmont,” Napa, 2005 47.00 122 Burgess, Napa, 2006 42.00 151 Parcel 41, Napa, 2006 44.00 914 Shafer, Napa, 2006 70.00 915 Nickel and Nickel “Harris,” Napa, 2006 70.00

	Meritage, Blends, ‘Redcetera’ by the Bottle

	402 B.V., “Tapestry,” Napa, 2005 80.00 403 Treana Meritage, Paso Robles, 2005 60.00 404 Ferrari-Carano “Tresor,” Sonoma, 2005 78.00 405 Estancia Meritage, Sonoma, 2006 44.00 406 Michael Pozzan ‘Marianna’ Meritage, Napa, 2006 70.00 407 Cain Concept, Napa, 2005 65.00 125 Steltzner Claret Stag’s Leap District, Napa, 2006 35.00 410 Newton Claret, Napa, 2006 37.00 411 Orin-Swift “The Prisoner” Blend, Napa, 2007 56.00 413 Alexander Valley Vineyards, Sangiovese Sonoma, 2005 34.00 414 Delectus, Petite Sirah, Napa, 2004 80.00 415 Stag’s Leap Winery, Petite Sirah, Napa, 2005 65.00 416 Guenoc Petite Sirah, Lake County, Napa, 2006 30.00 417 Vinum Cellars, ‘PETS’ Wilson Vineyard Petite Sirah, Clarksburg, 2007 22.00 418 Alexander Valley Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, Alexander Valley, 2006 38.00 419 Lang & Reed, Cabernet Franc, Lake County, 2007 40.00 420 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant, Santa Cruz, 2003 45.00 421 Tablas Creek Côtes de Tablas Rouge, Paso Robles, 2007 38.00 450 Matchbook, Tinto Rey, Syrah/Tempranillo, Dunnigan Hills, 2005 24.00 422 Nickel and Nickel “Dyer” Syrah, Napa, 2005 75.00 423 Ridge California Syrah, Lytton West, Dry Creek Valley, 2005 41.00 424 Edna Valley Syrah, San Luis Obispo, 2006 33.00 126 Red Car Boxcar Syrah, Central Coast, 2007 32.00

	Cabernet Sauvignon by the Bottle

	127 Joel Gott ‘815’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, Paso Robles, Lake & Mendocino, 2007 35.00 128 Norman “The Conquest,” Paso Robles, 2004 36.00 129 Liberty School, Paso Robles, 2007 30.00 425 Livingston, “Moffett,” Napa, 1996 75.00 426 Goosecross, Napa, 1999 90.00 427 Heitz, Napa, 2002 79.00 429 Rocca, Napa, 2003 90.00 430 Groth, Napa, 2003 90.00 431 Grgich Hills, Napa, 2003 115.00 432 Flora Springs, Napa, 2004 40.00 438 Stags Leap Wine Cellars “Artemis,” Napa, 2005 80.00 439 Chimney Rock, Napa, 2005 90.00 433 Mount Veeder, Napa, 2005 62.00 434 Cakebread, Napa, 2005 86.00 435 Clos Du Val, Napa, 2005 48.00 437 Rombauer, Napa, 2005 60.00 130 Groth, Napa, 2006 75.00 436 Honig, Napa, 2006 55.00 440 Twenty Bench, Napa, 2006 38.00 131 Michael Pozzan “Cuvee 12,” Napa, 2006 32.00 441 Soda Canyon, Napa, 2007 75.00 442 St Luke’s Cellar, Rutherford, 2006 58.00 443 Delectus, Oakville, 2002 110.00 444 Miner, Napa, Oakville, 2005 90.00 428 Jordan, Alexander Valley, 2004 75.00 445 Silver Oak, Alexander Valley, 2004 99.00 150 Simi, Alexander Valley, 2006 45.00 448 Punk Dog Sophie’s Romp, Sonoma, 2002 60.00 449 Kenwood, “Artist’s Series,” Sonoma, 2002 90.00 446 Kenwood “Jack London Vineyard,” Sonoma, 2005 50.00 447 Ferrari-Carano, Sonoma, 2005 48.00

	Global Reds by the Bottle

	702 Marques de Caceres Reserva Tempranillo, Rioja, Spain, 2001 42.00 703 Marques De Grinon “Summa,” Castilla La Mancha, Spain, 2002 50.00 132 Vinos De Terrunos La Milla, Monastrell, Jumilla, Spain, 2005 31.00 704 Camparron Crianza, Toro, Spain, 2005 30.00 705 Terrazas De Los Andes Malbec, Mendoza, 2006 32.00 133 Eral Bravo Urano Malbec Mendoza, 2007 24.00 706 Eral Bravo, “YBS,” Mendoza, 2007 72.00 707 Terra Andina Syrah/Cabernet, Los Altos, Chile, 2005 33.00 725 Craggy Range Sophia, Merlot/Cab/Cab Franc/Malbec, Hawke’s Bay, N.Z., 2005 80.00 708 Red Head Studios “Barrel of Monkeys” Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia, 2005 32.00 709 Shingleback, Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia, 2005 37.00 710 Two Hands Angel’s Share, Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia, 2006 65.00 711 Hentley Fools Bay “Dirty Bliss,” Grenache/Shiraz, Australia, 2007 38.00 712 Casteggio Barbera Lombardy, Tuscany, Italy, 2007 25.00 717 Fontanabianca Barbaresco, Piedmont, Italy, 2001 72.00 713 Macarini Dolcetto D’Alba, Piedmont, Italy, 2006 30.00 714 Le Farnete Carmignano DOCG, Tuscany, Italy, 2004 40.00 715 Ferragamo “Il Borro,” Toscana, Italy, 2004 55.00 716 Frescobaldi Mormoreto, Tuscany, Italy, 2005 99.00 134 Gaja Ca’Marcanda Promis, Tuscany, Italy, 2006 66.00 718 Tenute di Silvio Nardi Brunello Di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy, 2003 85.00 135 Tiziano Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy, 2007 28.00 136 Casale Vecchio “Farnese,” Montepulciano, Abruzzi, Italy, 2007 38.00 719 Chateau Gloria Saint Julien, Bordeaux, 2004 80.00 153 Kermit Lynch, Cotes Du Rhone, S. Rhone, France, 2007 33.00 720 M. Chapoutier ‘Le Bernadine’ Chateauneuf du Pape, France, 2005 75.00

	Special Cellar Selections

	These are exquisite, uncommon and searched for gems from our private collection. Quantities, availability and vintages are limited so please accept our apologies if a choice in unavailable...though our suggestions should appease any oenophile and adventurous wine palate. 802 Anderson Conn Valley Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 1994 200.00 Very nice black fruit, earth and plum flavors, smooth texture, dusty fruits and graphite come to the fore. Very old world in style. Muted fruit. Very balanced. Long finish. They don't make em like this anymore in California. 803 Hendry Block 8 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 1997 165.00 A bit of heat at first on the nose, big dark fruits, blackberry, currant, some earthiness to it as well. Giant yet elegant tannins, long finish that dries your mouth out all the while revealing subtle fruit flavors. This Cabernet Sauvignon has layered aromas of black licorice, cigar box, violets, caramel and dark cassis. Flavors echo the aromas, adding sweet dark berry and cedary fruit, mineral, mint and red dust. Tannins are present, firm but fine-grained. 821 Montevetrano, Colli de Solerno, Italy, 2003 110.00 Very deep ruby red in color. The nose is intense with a bouquet of red berries, tobacco and leather. On the palate the wine is dry and full bodied with firm tannins. Very distinctive in character with a rich structure and elegant flavors. The finish is impressive for its length and intensity. With age, this wine exhibits even more structure, body, elegance and sweetness. This 60-30-10 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Aglianico blend is a real treat from southern Italy with interesting complexity and flushed out tones of small berry fruit, exotic spice, vanilla, espresso and leather. The Cabernet aromas shine brightest. It’s modern, vibrant and a fine example of successful winemaking. 804 Viader Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 1997 160.00 Beautifully proportioned, rich and complex, with ripe, concentrated plum, currant, black cherry, mocha, toasty oak and spice nuances. Turns smooth and silky on a long, elegant finish. #2 of The Top 100 Wines of 2000. 805 Fisher “Lamb Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 1997 230.00 The awesome opaque purple-colored 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Lamb Vineyard exhibits a fabulous nose of lead pencil, coffee, minerals, black currants, and licorice. The wine's massive richness, full body, and super-intense, concentrated fruit make for a spectacular, unctuously-textured, backward wine. As it sat in the glass, some of the mountain blueberry notes came forward. This Cabernet requires 4 to 5 years of cellaring, and should keep for 25 to 30 years...at the minimum. 806 Etude Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 2002 135.00 Enormously complex, deep, dark, rich and polished, with layers of concentrated black cherry, blackberry, currant and anise. Framed by pretty toasty oak, the fruit holds a firm upper hand, turning richly tannic on the finish. Includes about 20% co-fermented cabernet franc) Good full medium ruby. High-pitched aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, tar, menthol and licorice. Higher-toned and higher-pitched than the estate cabernet, with flavors of blueberry, violet and minerals framed by juicy acidity. Here the firm tannins are a bit less integrated, at least in the early going. 807 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon, “Bosche,” Napa, 2002 110.00 Very smoky, cedary with mint and dark cherry, dried leaves, plum and some black currants. Palate is gentle and elegant with some oak and ripe notes in a fairly long finish. 808 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon “Beckstoffer,” Napa, 2002 130.00 2002 was Merryvale’s fourth harvest from the Beckstoffer family’s Vineyard X on the Oakville bench. The grapes were harvested September 27th, 28th and 30th. Merryvale has a long-term contract on the entire cabernet vineyard. We are happy to be able to bottle a vineyard-designated wine from these grapes. The wine is opaquely purple, dense and powerful. 825 Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa 2005/06 105.00 Very nice black fruit, earth and plum flavors, smooth texture, dusty fruits. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, A classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, this elegantly balanced wine combines generous fruit-forward structure with age-worthy tannins and a long, satisfying finish. From its layered aromatics to its lush palate of flavors, this wine brings together an array of red and black fruit elements, including red currant, baked plum, blackberry and sweet black cherry. Adding further depth to this core of ripe fruit are notes of vanilla, molasses, allspice, fresh herbs and black olive. and graphite come to the fore. Very old world in style. Muted fruit. Very balanced. Long finish. They don't make em like this anymore in California. 809 Rudd Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, 2003 180.00 If judged on its lavish oak alone, this creamy and sweetly spiced offering would win high acclaim, but it does not show the kind of fruity depth to be complete, and it empties out to heat and overly tough tannins on the latter palate. It will look better with a few years of softening to be sure, and its future is nothing less than stellar. 810 Bell Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon, Unfiltered, Napa, 2004 125.00 Characterized by dark ruby color, firm ripe tannins and concentrated flavors. The warm temperatures during the growing season combined with periodic hot spells allowed the grapes to achieve full maturity early, yielding dense, dark fruit character. Overtones of black cherry, currant and blackberry in combination with undertones of chocolate, coffee and pepper meld with the vanilla and cedar nuances of French oak in waves of complexity. On the palate, concentrated yet supple tannins, and crisp acidity lead to a lingering finish, and contribute to a finely balanced flavor. 826 Merryvale ‘Profile’ Red Wine, Napa 1999 185.00 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc, A blend of four varieties dominated by Cabernet, grown in seven vineyards, this represents current tastes in Napa. It’s extremely rich in ripe blackberry and cassis flavors, made up with richly smoked oak. The tannins are ultrasoft, and so are the acids. 827 Nickel & Nickel Branding Iron Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 2005 100.00 If you're looking for a more fruit-forward style of cabernet sauvignon, you'll fall in love with the Branding Iron's blackberry and cranberry flavors that leave a lingering mark on your palate. The sweet fruit is balanced by earth and peppermint notes for a full, complex wine. Fat and velvety with mouth-coating tannins. 813 Dominus Meritage, Napa, 1995 225.00 A lighter style, with a supple, polished texture and some vegetal notes leading into cherry and plum flavors. (6,000 cases produced from a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 6% Petit Verdot, and 4% Merlot) is a ripe, plummy, supple, expansively-flavored wine with copious quantities of black currant fruit. Full-bodied and low in acidity, it possesses exceptional concentration and purity. 814 Opus One Meritage, Napa, 1994 325.00 Ablend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot, and 1% Malbec, possesses a dark ruby/purple color, followed by a generous, complex nose of lead pencil, toasty oak, violets, and black currants. In the mouth, there is a beautiful texture, soft, generous, low acid, full-bodied richness, and a stunningly proportioned, rich, intense finish. The influence of 18 months in new French oak casks gives the wine a subtle oaky note in addition to giving it excellent delineation. Lovely Bordeaux nose; green tobacco, still a hint of plum and a little earth. Palate is soft and gives straight away. More plum, a little meat and any tannins had well and truly integrated. 811 Barnett “Rattlesnake Hill” Cabernet Sauvignon Napa, 2004 200.00 Cassis, blueberry, black cherry and tarry oak on the nose. Suave and silky, with a sappy sweetness and noteworthy intensity. Dark berry flavors complicated by notes of dark chocolate and licorice. Finishes with excellent persistence. 815 Opus One Meritage, Napa, 2001 300.00 87% cab sauvignon, 6% merlot, 2% cab franc, 3% malbec, 2% petit verdot. Scents of red currant, red licorice, wild berry, sage and fresh earth fold together nicely in this ripe, intense, tightly wound young Cabernet. Well-focused, deep and complex, with dry, earthy tannins on the finish. 816 Mount Veeder Reserve Meritage, Napa, 2000 125.00 52% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot. Dark garnet red in color with multiple layers of spice aromas with anise, bay and blackberry bramble and dark cherry-berry notes. Full-bodied and round with a firm structure.. Complex tobacco, cassis, toast accents within ripe, supple tannins. Great length. 817 Chateau Gruard Larose, Bordeaux, France, 1989 220.00 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. Merlot has become the main grape of the Gironde, and whilst synonymous with St. Emilion and Pomerol it has remained in the minority in the Médoc. Although a secondary ingredient in the grand vin of Gruaud Larose, Merlot still makes an important contribution to the wine’s remarkable complexity. Cabernet Franc, also known as Breton and Bouchet, is a very old French variety. Well-suited to wines that will mature over a long period, Cabernet Franc can produce fine wines of great complexity. Exhibits a provocative nose of roasted herbs, animal fat, jammy blackberries, licorice and cedar. It is a big, fat, juicy and succulent wine, with sweet tannin in the finish. 818 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, Bordeaux, France, 1989 225.00 Typical Bordeaux nose of tobacco overlying mild dark fruits. Highly aromatic dark fruit with a surprising richness and complexity. This wine is exactly what Bordeaux strives to be – rich, elegant, and classic. A Bordeaux that is currently ready to drink and hard to beat in terms of value. Palate was medium bodied, with lots of gravel and stone, and plenty of cassis, cherry, and pencil shavings on the palate, with some hints of wild mushroom and loam on the finish. 819 Chateau Clerc Milon, Paulliac, France, 1996 180.00 With their velvet red colour with a hint of amber, the wines from the Pauillac appellation, full-bodied and rich in tannin, are vigorous. Powerful when young, their aromas of red fruits (black-currant, raspberry) or flowers (violets, roses, irises) melt with the passing of time into a bouquet which is long in the mouth. 820 Solaia Antinori, Tuscany, Italy, 1999 195.00 Intensely fruity and complex with a good structure, well-balanced, with soft tannins and a lingering finish. Displays unmistakable varietal flavor while retaining strong regional character. Solaia, which means the 'sunny one' in Italian, is a 10 hectares (25 acres) southwest-facing vineyard planted 351-396 metres (1,150-1,300 feet) above sea-level on stony calcareous soil of marl and friable albarese rock. It is located at Santa Cristina, contiguous to the Tignanello vineyard, which is on the same property, in the Mercatale Val di Pesa zone of Chianti Classico. 912 Andrew Will, Ciel du Cheval, Vashon, Washington, 2000 150.00 Saturated, Medium & Ruby., Black currant & Chocolate on the nose. Round Broad, & Lush, with dark berry, spice & licorice flavors nicely supported by strong underlying spine. Tannins are strong but avoid dryness. Powerful yet structured and has a long and building finish.