In spite of its tropical lushness -- with notes of pineapple, kiwi, and lemon zest -- the palate is actually quite restrained and focused. Intense fruit flavor rounded out with a touch of toasted oak. This is a wine that could actually benefit from some cellar time.

I liked this chardonnay very much and had it not been marred by the heat, I probably would have scored it higher. Delicate aromas of orange blossom and citrus followed by lime and mineral on the palate. A rich and opulent wine.

88 cases produced. 50% new French oak. 13.3% alcohol. Lovely, layered aromas of dark cherries, dried cranberries, and with even more air, rose petals, wild strawberries, and minerals. On the palate, sour cherries, forest floor, and minerals. Very nice and wonderful way to begin the evening. 90-91 points.

44 cases produced. 100% new French oak. 14.4% alcohol. Compared to the regular Summa, the super silky Old Vine Summa makes the former wear like a cotton shirt. Predictably deeper and richer and my WOTN, in part I think because it is drinking so well right now (whereas the others need more time to come together and/or mellow out). Enchanting aromas of dried cranberries, black cherries, pomegranate, and just a hint of sweet tobacco followed by gorgeous mouth-filling strawberry and cranberry fruit. The oak is perfectly integrated and gives the wine a complexity that is hard to describe. All I can say is that it's there without being there. Finishes with a nice kick of acidity that prepares the palate for food and keeps you returning for more. Delicious.

101 cases produced. 50% new French oak. 13.3% alcohol. This bottle may have been slightly off because it seem rather herbal on the nose and thin on the palate. Beneath the herbal notes, however, I did detect some notes of wild strawberries, sous bois, and wood smoke. The midpalate seemed a bit hollow, although it finishes rather well. 86-87 points.

44 cases produced. 100% new French oak. 13.8% alcohol. This Old Vine Summa showed a darker fruit profile than the 2002: aromas of plum, boysenberry, and dark cherry fruit with shadings of caramel and sweet vanillin oak. Nice texture and structure. Richer and more opulent than the 2002. Finishes with a juicy burst of red fruit. Delicious and just a hair behind the 2002 OV. 92-93 points.

180 cases produced. 50% new French oak. 14.2% alcohol. Deep notes of dark cherry, wet earth, spice box, and sweet tobacco on the nose, which continue on to the palate with an added layer of black raspberry and minerals. Nice structure. Slight touch of citrus on the finish. 91-92 points.

130 cases produced. 75% new French oak. 14.1% alcohol. This wine was surprisingly similar to the previous wine, although what did distringuish it from the SC pinot was a certain purity and intensity of fruit, one that will hopefully develop additional layers with more time in the cellar. As of this tasting, the SC just seemed a bit more open and ready to drink. Dark cherry, wet soil, and wet leaves on the nose. On the palate, black raspberries, blackberries, and forest floor. 90-91 points.

60 cases produced. 100% new French oak. 14.2% alcohol. This wine was extremely dense and concentrated, almost to the point of being monolithic. But age should loosen it up a bit, and when it does, it will be a beauty, perhaps at a level surpassing the 2002 Old Vine. Intense aromas of dark cherry, wet loamy soil, and cola. The palate delivers more dark cherry, some ripe plum, and a good heaping of wet earth. Finishes with cranberry and pomegranate fruit. The intensity of fruit is quite remarkable. I hope to be able to try this again in 5 years because it has a lot going for it. 92+ points.

140 cases produced. 67% new French oak. 14.2% alcohol. This wine is wide open for business and tasting really great. Aromas of ripe strawberries, raspberries, and spice. A burst of juicy red fruits on the palate coupled with bright acidity. A charming wine with a lot of youthful appeal. Perhaps a bit simpler than the Summa wines, but why knock simple when it brings such instant gratification?

45 cases produced. 100% new French oak. 13.7% alcohol. This wine seemed rather closed as it was not giving up much. Perhaps it was not decanted enough, which may indeed be the case. But as it was, it was a rather hard pinot to drink. Dark, almost cabernet-like aromas of currant, plum, and peppercorns. The palate mirrors the nose. Kind of unyielding and tough and, ultimately, one of my least favorite pinots of the evening.

54 bottles produced. 1 new quarter barrel. 14.1% alcohol. What a treat to sample this rare bottle of wine! At the same time, what a shame that it was opened so young as it clearly needs about 5 more years in the cellar. Interestingly, however, it was more open than the regular Summa. Exotic and profound layers of black cherry, kirsch, wet soil, stone, pine, sour cherry, and cranberry. Finishes with an interesting tartness (lime?). There is huge potential to this wine. I just wish that I will be fortunate enough to taste another another of this ever dwindling supply. 92-93 points.

50 cases produced. 100% new French oak. 14.9% alcohol. This wine sort of got eclipsed by the wines of the previous flight, which I felt were a little more interesting than this one. While still very young and tight, I did get dense notes of currant, blackberries, molasses, and crushed rocks. Not a bad wine, but I ended up abandoning it for more of the Old Vine Summa.

Sadly, our bottle was corked.

Thick and unctuous and bit flabby for me. Needs more decanting.

Very honeyed and just a bit too sweet and flabby. Where's the acidity?