Winemaker Robert Craig produces wine from hillside grapes on Howell Mountain and Mount Veeder. The grapes for this wine come from the latter region at elevations of up to 1,800 feet. The contours of the 26-acre site offer typical Mount Veeder terrain with multiple hillside exposures and changes in elevation of up to 400 feet. The well-drained sandstone and blue slate soils provide for growing small berries, with yields from one to three tons. Typical of the AVA, this wine is very dark in color with lots of chocolate-peppermint nuances. The blackberry fruit is sweet and bright and the wine is balanced read more...with good acidity. It’s a bit astringent at this point, attesting to its youth. So, hold it for a couple of years and drink it over the ensuing 15. The listed alcohol is high at 14.9 percent, but because of the concentration of the fruit, that aspect is mitigated. The wine was aged for 20 months in French wood, 75 percent of which was new, with the rest having seen two harvests. There were 1,665 cases made.    (hide)

78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot Expansive ripe black cherry and currant aromas, with spice, black tea and violet notes. Bright and abundant dark fruit flavors and black currant liqueur are intertwined with sweet spice box, licorice and violets. Opulent black cherry drives the lively, long-lived finish. A rich, multi-layered Cabernet that balances power with finesse. The 2005 Affinity marries the power and richness of Napa Valley hillside Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot for a complex, supple and stylish Bordeaux-blend, read more...backed by silky, ripe tannins. Luscious fruit flavors of great depth and purity are hallmarks of Affinity together with integrated tannin structure for long-term aging.    (hide)

Community Tasting Notes (average 90.2 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 33 notes)

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

Immediate full body Napa blackberry, current etc., note of acidty remains ...nicely full throught palate range...smooth. Very well-rounded... maybe be better in 3-6 yrs.

Wet, tart. With Partagas Serie P No. 2.

smooth real easy to drink

At Pizzico. V nice