At first the tight nose is a bit like tar and industrial cleaner, but once it fans out some black fruit emerges. The palate is tight and tannic, but fresh and ripe. And the finish is healthy but also rather tannic. Good with barbecued meats and the like. ——M.S.(7/1/2003)—— 84

So light that it borders on dilute, this Rapel Valley Cab offers funky earth aromas over sweet fruit. The palate doesn’t offer much in the way of fruit flavors—instead, with such outdoorsy forest notes, it’s easy to see why this wine is called “houses of the forest.”——D.T.(7/1/2002)—— 84