The 2009 The Galvo Garage is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot and 10% Mourvedre. Deep garnet-purple in color, it offers notes of creme de cassis and black currant cordial over mint, cloves and pencil shavings and a whiff of cinnamon stick. Ripe, rich and full bodied, it’s well structured with a firm level of chewy tannins and gives a long, slightly herbal finish. Drink it now through 2018+. The d’Arenberg winery is 100 years old with a fourth generation Osbourne in charge today of this now considerable operation. Graduated from Roseworthy College in 1983, Chester was expected by his father to change things when he took over the family business. Instead he went back to tradition rather than modernizing. In the d’Arenberg vineyards there is no cultivating, fertilizing or herbicides used – Chester compares these artificial means to growing plants hydroponically. Looking to continually improve the root systems of his vines, he rarely irrigates. Average yields are 1.7 tons per acre. “2011 was actually a great year for us,” Chester informed me. “We didn’t have any problems with rot.”Importer: Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA, www.oldbridgecellars.com

The 2008 The Galvo Garage Cabernet Blend is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%), Merlot (14%), Cabernet Franc (8%) and Petit Verdot (6%). Medium-deep garnet colored, it offers vague black currant and plum scents with hints of pencil shavings, cloves and herbal aromas. Very crisp with medium-firm chewy tannins, it’s just slightly lacking in mid-palate flesh, finishing long. Drink it now to 2014+. Importer: Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA, www.oldbridgecellars.com

A bold, aggressive wine that lacks a bit of elegance, the 2008 Galvo Garage is a big mouthful of cassis and cedar. In another few years it may settle down, but for now the overall impression is of a rather rough customer that’s best suited to be poured alongside grilled steak. ——J.C.(12/31/2010)—— 86

The 2007 The Galvo Garage is a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 21% Petit Verdot, and 6% Cabernet Franc aged for 12 months in a mix of new and seasoned French oak. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it displays aromas of spice box, violets, pencil lead, and black currant. Medium to full-bodied and structured on the palate, this concentrated effort will evolve for 2-3 years and drink well from 2011 to 2019. The d’Arenberg portfolio is loaded with values. The winery works with over 140 growers to fashion their superb blends. For the 2008 vintage, the entry-level The Stump Jump series has been expanded.Importer: Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA; www.oldbridgecellars.com