The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Chambers and Hanson, which was scheduled to be bottled shortly after my visit, displays loads of pen ink and lead pencil shavings, hints of cedar wood, spice box and red and black currants and a nice, heady finish.(Not yet released)I only tasted one white from Souverain, which has a well-deserved reputation for offering considerable quality at favorable prices.Tel. (707) 433-8281; Fax (707) 433-5174

The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Chambers & Hanson Vineyard has not yet been bottled, but it appears to possess outstanding potential. It exhibits a deep purple color in addition to copious aromas of creme de cassis, cassis, blueberries, licorice, graphite, and spicy oak, broad, substantial flavors, a heady finish, and 10-15 years of life ahead of it. (Not yet released)Tel. (707) 433-8281; Fax (707) 433-5174

Another potentially outstanding effort is the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Chambers & Hanson Vineyard, which exhibits an earthy, oaky, black and red currant nose with noticeable spice. The wine possesses good fruit, medium body, and excellent elegance. (Not yet released)One of the value producers in northern California, Souverain consistently fashions attractive red and white wines. Souverain’s Cabernet Sauvignon program features fruit from the Alexander Valley, which can produce wines with rustic tannins and earth. I do not believe the quality of the 2005s and 2006s is as high as it was in 2004, 2003, and 2002, nor as high as what they should accomplish in 2007. Nevertheless, the 2005s and 2006s are well-made wines.Tel. (707) 433-8281; Fax (707) 433-5174