Fruit-forward, softer, more flamboyant, already seductive effort displaying gorgeous notes of chocolaty creme de casis, some spicy, high quality, toasty oak, a rich, plush, savory, expansive mid-palate, and a long heady finish...This wine is delicious yet promises to age gorgeously for 15-20 years.

*Ratings: RP-94

A combination of Merlot (18%), Cabernet Franc (2%), Petit Verdot (4%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (76%) creates well-integrated flavors, deep color, and balance. The bouquet offers distinct notes of cassis, black cherry, and cocoa. The aromatic qualities of the Petit Verdot marry well with the soft, alluring flavors of Merlot and complement the masculine tannins of the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon has a rich texture and opulent flavors, complemented by a restrained framework of oak that leads to a lingering finish of violet, earth, smoke, and cola.

A blend of bordeaux varietals. Cabernet sauvignon still predominates; exhaustive tasting of test blends during assemblage determines how much—if any—merlot, petit verdot, or cabernet franc will be included in the finished wine. Almost every vintage (an unbroken chain from '62 on) has something substantive to recommend it. Every decade has its high points. Taste and opinions differ. But the just-concluded decade of the nineties has been outstanding. Generalization does a disservice to the individual wines. There's structure, there's complexity, there's balance. And they develop for a long, long time.

*Ratings: WS-92

Deep ruby. Explosively perfumed nose offers a profound bouquet of ripe cherry, blackcurrant, yellow rose, Asian spices and vanilla bean; you could use this for incense. Deep and sweet but remarkably precise, offering powerful dark berry and kirsch flavors supported by substantial, velvety tannins. The fruit plows through the finish with superb energy, depth and clarity, fully absorbing the tannins. A big but wonderfully balanced example of Monte Bello, and sure to reward extended cellaring.

*Ratings: WS-90 RP-95

*Ratings: RP-94

*Ratings: RP-92

Aromas of warm black fruit, cedar, chocolate, and dried herbs, followed by rich, juicy flavors of blackberry, dark chocolate, and tobacco, with a nice long finish. The tannins are ripe and supple.

An elegant, highly expressive wine that displays great complexity due to the multifaceted climatic conditions of the harvest season. The wine is dark ruby with a purple to red edge. It displays bright aromas of black cherry, dark chocolate, black tea, allspice and ginger. In the mouth, it has a full-bodied attack, a round, balanced mid-palate redolent of cherry preserves, brown sugar and caramel and an extremely long finish of savory ripe fruit. Properly cellared, it should give drinking pleasure until 2026.

*Ratings: WS-93

A complex and concentrated wine that deftly balances intensity and finesse. The wine has a dark garnet color with a deep purple edge, and displays aromas of blackberry jam, dark chocolate, rose petal, black pepper and cedar. In the mouth, the attack is quite rich, expressing notes of brown sugar and nutmeg, and the flavors proceed seamlessly to a long finish of fruit and ripe tannins. Properly cellared, this wine should give drinking pleasure until 2027.

Dense, dark purple plum. Gloriously generous fruit with subtle complimentary overtones of vanilla spice; enhancing, rather than dominating, the wonderful spicy plum fruit of this wine. Rich juicy fruit. Delicious and distinctive mocha, chocolate and sweet plum characters. Backed by a lush, plush mouthfeel laced with an underlying black pepper spice and a silky tight tannin structure.

Aged in French and American oak with 15% new French. It delivers a complex aromatic array of cedar, smoked meat, violets, pencil lead, blueberry, and blackberry. This leads to a medium-bodied Shiraz which is just a bit lean on the palate. Aside from that, it has solid flavors and a moderately long finish. Drink it over the next 8-10 years.

Inky violet. Exotically perfumed nose combines vibrant red and dark berry aromas with smoked meat, graphite and dried flowers. On the palate, this strongly channels the northern Rhone, with juicy blackcurrant and cured meat flavors braced by zesty minerality. Gains in depth and sweetness on the back, where the mineral and meat qualities persist. Very complex stuff.