~US$35 100% Charbono, Mt. Helena, Napa Valley, California

Deep, opaque purple color. Fascinating nose of Vasoline, tar, barnyard, pine, blackberries and black cherries. Bold and brazen in the mouth, very firm and structured with strong acidity and tannins to keep the fruit from juicing over. Concentrated and energetic - reminding me of a very tannic petit sirah or an extremely fruity italian red. While big and smooth initially on the palate, wine finished a little abruptly - very dry, with a wall of tannins overpowering-but the lingering flavors were very long and persistent. I could see this wine working with well spicy fair - maybe a rustic pork stew?

Overall delicious, - but too young, IMHO. A great expression of an relatively unknown grape - and absolute try for American Syrah, Petit Sirah, and Zinfandel fans.

BTW: Absolute butter on day 2. Open this one up a day early. Seriously.

~$35US Napa Valley Zinfandel Blend

A ginormous blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Sirah, and Charbono @ 15.2% ABV. Extremely deep, inky purple. Intense blackberry, plums, and spicy stewed apples on the nose. Tasted very rich and extracted. If Hostess combined their Apple Pie and Blueberry Pies, liquified them crust-and-all, it would taste something like this wine. Some oak (which was kept in check) and mild tannins helped balanced the massive fruit - giving the wine some finesse. Super easy to drink, and easy to appreciate the craft and balance. Pair with hearty grilled meats.

A benchmark American wine in 2005, and a joy to drink. One to share with friends.