From the Week

The 1996 Diamond Creek Volcanic Hill is a simply awesome bottle of wine with decades of life left in it. One of the few California Cabs to need at least a decade of aging before it's approachable (ala Dunn). Lovely cedar with gripping tannins and tons of fruit. If only winemakes would follow this lead... Right now I'm having a glass of 2002 Reichsgraf von Kesselstadt Schwarzhofberger Riesling Spatlese. These 2002s are showing pretty petrol notes and lots of classic slate on the nose and palate, but they are missing the great length that defines truly great German Riesling. The 2001s are great... the 2002s, pretty good...