The 1995 Due Baci, a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese aged in small oak casks, exhibits a dark ruby/purple color, a smoky, rich, chocolatey, roasted coffee, and black cherry-scented nose, and rich, medium-bodied flavors that include spice, hints of new saddle leather, roasted herb, and olives. This rich, attractive wine is excellent. Drink this beauty over the next 7-8 years.Robert Pepi is emerging as one of the leaders of the Etruscan gang of California winemakers seeking to turn out wines from grapes primarily associated with Italy. However, Pepi has other offerings as well.Tel. (707) 944-2807; Fax (707) 944-5628

The two Italian-inspired red wines produced by Robert Pepi include a blend of Sangiovese and a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon called Colline di Sassi, and a more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated wine, Due Baci. The 1994 Due Baci (a 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Sangiovese blend) was aged for 16 months in small French oak barrels and bottled unfiltered. The wine displays an opaque ruby/purple color, and a sweet, jammy, black fruit-scented nose with noticeable aromas of oak and earth. This is a deep, medium to full-bodied, tightly-knit wine with outstanding richness, and a long, spicy, well-structured finish. Give it 2-6 months of bottle age; it should drink reasonably well young yet age for a decade.The Robert Pepi winery is another moderately-sized winery under the ownership of the Jess Jackson group known as Artisans and Estates. Of all the wineries under that umbrella organization, Robert Pepi is the only one largely dedicated to producing Italian-inspired wines. The exception is their Sauvignon Blanc. Tel. (707) 944-2807; Fax (707) 944-5628