This is why

I don't do my wines of the year until the end of the year. I know they have to because it takes so long to publish it, but I have the benefit of instant publishing!

The 1997 Comunali Brunello di Montalcino was about as pretty as I've ever tasted. The last bottle that we had, it was dried black fruits, cedar, dried leaves and cedar. A classic Brunello with lots of tannin (but nicely balanced). If I had a bottle or two of this, I would be drinking it now. Great. The 2003 Flor de Pingus, Ribera del Duero, is awesome (as always), but was showing a little less intensity and a little more depth. Great wine with mocha, black plums, pepper, clove and vanilla. Yum. The 1999 Cristal was as before.

The wine of the night, and certainly a candidate for my top 10 is the 2002 Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley. Wow. Opaque, with a purple-black center and little if no rim variation. About as intense a wine as I've ever seen (maybe the 2003 or 2000 Latour). On the nose - figs, black currants, black plums, graphite, stony-minerals, black earth, vanilla, and black pepper. On the palate - as above, but an incredible concentration and depth of flavors. The layers here are incredible. The only other California Cabernet that I've had that was better was the 2001 Harlan. The 2001 Hillside was good, but nowhere near this one. It's like this one goes to 11... Run away!!! One of the prettiest, yet biggest, most balanced (here is that balance thing again) wines I've ever tasted. Right before I opened it, the guest asked again - "This is a big Cabernet, right?" Nigh!!! Nigh!!! Bring me a shrubery!!! Sorry, back to the quest... This is why I would listen to Mr. Parker for California Cabs and not WS...