Nice dark fruit, decent depth and richness, good balance, moderate/medium tannins, good finish for the vintage.

Decent, slightly bright fruit, shuts down into the mid-palate, slight bitterness on the finish.

Medium/full body, OK fruit, bit tough, some oak, clipped finish.

Decent medium dark fruit, OK finish, hint of acidity showing through.

84/16 Merlot/Franc; Bright, nice dark red fruit, good balance, moderate finish.

Fairly big, bold, lush, concentrated, good balance, very Cali-like. In good years, I rarely like this wine, due to its ultra plush ripeness, but in 08 it works, particularly for someone who leans toward this style.

Big, deep, fairly rich, some oak, moderate finish. A big wine for the vintage, oak is there but not out of balance. Good wine for someone who appreciates a bigger, more modern style.

85/15 Merlot/Cabernet; Quite nice, good depth, nice dark red fruits, good balance, decent finish, a bit of oak.

Bright, good red fruit flavors, maybe a touch on the lighter side, but nice wine, probably for earlier drinking.

Deep red color, medium body, forward fruit, almost Pinot body, very bright, more cherry flavor, moderate finish. Just lacking a bit of depth I expect from this wine, as well as structure.

Quite nice, medium red fruit, medium/light body, easy drinker, good QPR

Very nice, medium dark red fruit, good balance, pretty decent finish.

Quite nice, very classic, good medium dark fruit, good overall balance and finish.

Decent dark fruit, bit over-oaked, and a finish that dies off. Combination of the heavy oak and short finish really sink this wine.

Nice medium fruit, decent balance though a bit soft. Good, but drink on the early side.

Deep and dark, more density than many 08s, decent but quite reserved fruit, medium tannins, moderate finish. A very reserved and tight, almost tough wine. Maybe it blossoms into something good in a decade, but I fear there isn't enough fruit to fight through the structure of this wine.

Decent dark red fruit, fairly tannic, bit of oak. Never one of my favorites, it's actually a little better this year, not getting overly bright and ripe.

Quite nice, medium dark fruit, good acidity and overall balance, good finish. This has the combination of intensity, depth, and structure that many 08s are missing. One of the best at UGC tasting for me.

Very nice deep red fruit, excellent balance, decent finish. Good wine with one of the better combinations of depth and structure in 08.

Nice, more forward dark red fruit, bit on the bright side, and a little soft.

Bright, lush, smooth, vibrant. Maybe lacking a little depth and structure, but somehow the intensity of flavor and the balance make it work well. Not a wine to cellar for decades, but one that can be enjoyed early on, and not a bad value.

Nice dark red fruit, good structure. Maybe lacking a little depth and complexity, but overall quite nice.

Gorgeous, slightly grassy/petrol/fruit nose, beautiful fruit, complex, floral, excellent balance, nice finish. A fabulous wine. Mostly Sauvignon Blanc, with 5% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Semillon.

Decent fruit, bit short and simple.

Fabulous nose, beautiful, complex, with good botrytis character, nice finish, could use a touch more acidity, but very nice.

Simple, plain, lacks interest.

OK nose, nice balanced fruit, some botrytis, moderate acidity and finish.