The 2006 Cignale (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) is a dark, inky offering loaded with the essence of blackberry jam, grilled herbs, cassis, French oak, tar and menthol. Powerful and authoritative on the palate, this shows exceptional length and a round, opulent expression of fruit that flows through to the generous finish. Ideally the Cignale is best opened at least 30 minutes in advance to allow for the bouquet to find its focus. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2026. Proprietor Alessandro Francois makes a wide range of wines, but the stars are his single-vineyard bottlings. This year, the wines are more variable than in the past, but to be fair, some of the less interesting bottles are from the challenging 2005 harvest.Importer (all wines except Cignale): Prestige Wine Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 229-0080. Importer (Cignale only): Empson, USA, Alexandria, VA; tel. (703) 684-0900