Apple and lemon aromas, same again on palate with some lemon peel. Subtle spice, good weight. Still in the middle of its drinking window.

Ripe apple and some tropical notes, some roasted nut and background oak hints. Starting to advance but drinking nicely.

Ripe apple with some pineapple and mango, plenty of new oak front-and-center, but this has the stuffing for everything to integrate in a few years. Overall very good balance.

Popped and poured. Lots of lemon with some green apple hints, great density and concentration. At first tasted too cold, then revisited several hours later when less cold, and it was more intense with some mint and anise coming through as well lots of minerality. Just entering its peak drinking window.

Lemon and grapefruit with very intense energy. Good length and intensity, particularly for its price. A great value wine. Summer in a glass.

From magnum. Black cherry and plum with plenty of smoked meat, anise, dark chocolate. Good density and concentration, lots of tannins and structure today. Better in 5 years for certain, probably better yet in ten.

Blackberry, plum, dark chocolate, licorice, espresso with a strong note of liqueur. rich and intense but fatter and more hedonistic than I would prefer.

Black fruit aromas and flavors with faint hints of anise and dark roast coffee. Good fruit and balance, nicely supported with good energy, but slightly simple middle through finish.

Popped and poured. Surprisingly forward and accessible, showing lots of red cherry and baking spice.Plenty of structure, but very charming fruit coming throughout makes this seem forward and easily enjoyed today.

Lots of ripe fruit everywhere with plenty of liqueur. Certainly well made, but the intense ripeness is not exactly my preferred style.

Blackberry and plum with cedar and licorice. Rich, well textured and very accessible now.

Charming older Cabernet with mature plum and black berries on nose and palate, along with cigarbox and licorice. Moderate length and intensity. Holding up well.

Ripe plum and black cherry with licorice, dark chocolate and tobacco notes. Big and powerful, with ripeness supporting with enough structure to keep this just short of seeming overly ripe.

Also very ripe but a slight step up from the (also good) Shafter 2003 HSS. This showed slightly more nuance and textures with more layers of flavor.

Plum and blackberry with some licorice, vanilla, espresso. Ripe and powerful, but interesting layers of flavor with good balance.

Dried apricot and creme brulee with lots of power and length. Thick and unctuous, while retaining a good freshness.