The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon emerges from the glass with layers of dark red fruit, flowers, spices and new leather. It shows lovely depth in this vintage. Three years in new oak barrels has given the 2008 considerable richness and sheer power. It is a style that works beautifully here. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023.Tel. (707) 253-2000

Probably the best Cabernet Sauvignon I have ever tasted from Altamura, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is aged 30 months in 70% new oak from the same high-elevation vineyard as the Sangiovese. Notes of espresso roast, graphite, black currants, sweet black cherries and earthy, loamy terroir are all present in this dense purple, full-bodied, exuberant, concentrated and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon. It can be drunk now or cellared for two decades.This is an interesting, still somewhat under-the-radar, small producer with all dry-farmed vineyards and obviously impeccable winemaking.Tel. (707) 253-2000; fax (707) 255-3937

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) possesses aromas of creme de cassis, white chocolate, espresso roast, dusty, loamy soil, and a full-bodied structure. With rich, powerful flavors that cascade over the palate as well as beautiful purity and depth, it will be even better with another 2-4 years of cellaring, and is capable of lasting 20-25 years. Frank Altamura and I agree on the fact that 90% of a wine’s quality comes from the vineyard, and the winemaker accounts for 10% of the finished product. This huge 400-acre ranch in the Wooden Valley, nine miles northeast of Napa, has 65 acres of hillside vineyards. One of the most under-the-radar wineries in all of Napa, Altamura’s Sangiovese makes a mockery of all the mediocre Sangioveses produced in California. Altamura also produces a terrific Sauvignon Blanc that is aged in wood for 8 months.Tel. (707) 253-2000; Fax (707) 255-3937