Rating: 90-92 - As reviewed by International Wine Cellar in Issue 132, May/June 2007. ($50) Inky violet. Powerful tobacco-accented blackberry and cassis aromas, with a gentle mocha note and a hint of iron. The supple dark berry flavors are supported by low-key minerality and gentle tannins. Gains sweetness on the finish, which shows a distinct blueberry note. This is the first vintage for this bottling, which is made from all hillside vines, according to Ramey.

13% Merlot; 4% Cabernet Franc; 3% Malbec. Largely directed by its dense, black cherry fruit but showing a green peppercorn note and hints of dried weeds here and there, this gusty, well-extracted working makes no pretenses to polish. It is the kind of Cabernet that begs one to wait for a few years at least, and its fruit fights its way through its gruff finishing tannins in a manner that encourages keeping.

Rating: EXCELLENT Top-notch of its type - As reviewed by Food & Wine - 2009 Wine Guide on 2009. Viñ MontGras owners Hernn and Eduardo Gras teamed up with winemaker and co-owner Cristin Hartwig to make this extraordinarily earthy Cabernet from the Maipo Valley; dense flavors of coffee, leather and pepper show hints of eucalyptus.

Opaque ruby. Red- and blackcurrant aromas, with suave floral, tobacco and spice character adding interest. Fleshy, liqueur-like dark berry flavors are soft and round, with no rough edges or obvious tannins. Turns slightly firmer on the long, velvety finish. Ramey told me that this has a pH of 4.0.

Rating for United States-California: 95 (slightly better than average year)<br/><br/>Drinkability: too young, let it sit<br/>

sour cherries, good acid.

Perfect Even Deep

From Phil Lulek