2005 J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain

From a high-elevation mountain AVA, the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec and 8% Petit Verdot, with 14.6% alcohol. A very youthful, dense ruby/purple color is followed by pure black fruits, earth tones, and mountain flowers. The high elevation has given the wine a freshness, yet there’s gorgeous intensity, full-bodied texture, and the intense flavor profile is both authoritative and elegant. This wine possesses both nobility and high quality at age ten. It is just a gorgeous, gorgeous Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon that can be approached now, but will probably be even better in another 3-5 years, and should keep for close to three decades. P.S. This is not a blockbuster in the sense of some Napa Cabernets, but one of serious richness and depth, everything presented incrementally, with elegance and restraint, but authority. I’m impressed. Tel. (707) 942-8354; www.jdavies.us