2006 Reserve Speciale Cabernet Sauvignon

The two big Cabernets (meant to age for 2-3 decades) include the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso and the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale. These two offerings will improve in the cellar, and may well outpace my conservative ratings. The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale is another brilliant effort. One only has to go back to older vintages to see how well this wine ages. It is often a candidate for one of the top three or four Cabernet Sauvignons made on the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas Mountains. A dense ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of creme de cassis, cedar, licorice, tobacco leaf, and spice box. The wine is full-bodied, rich, and heady with superb concentration and depth as well as moderately high tannins in the long, 40+ second finish. Give it 2-3 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 25 years. This is another impressive group of wines from one of the most consistent winemakers and long-time veterans of the California wine scene, Dick Arrowood. He has always had the Midas touch with white varietals, yet he also continues to impress me with what he can do with red varietals. Moreover, Arrowood is also one of the pioneer Rhone Ranger producers, and his Syrah program has been supplemented with red and white French Cotes du Rhone-like blends called Cote de Lune, as well as an outstanding Viognier. Tel. (707) 938-5170; Fax (707) 938-5195