The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was aged for 13 months in French oak. A bit light and a bit lacking in mid-palate concentration, this is nonetheless quite charming, delicious and elegant, with a bright, refined feel, albeit lacking depth. It is a pleasure to drink. There is a slight note of licorice on the finish. The only flaws, perhaps, are that it lacks complexity and (a related issue) it is not likely to develop much with age. It will be early maturing. It sure drinks nicely right now, though, and if encountered young, it will probably produce many happy campers, so I have to lean up just a little. Drink now-2017. Importer: Royal Wine Corp., Bayonne, NJ; tel. (718) 534-0118

There’s a richness to this wine that’s paired with a soft warmth throughout, as forward notes of kirsch, muddled ripe strawberries, braised rhubarb and red-plum flesh flood the nose and mouth. Drinkable now, but with a gripping finish. ——L.B.(4/1/2012)—— 87