Deep ruby-black, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Annum, made of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, gives up notes of baked plum and black raisin on the nose with crème de cassis, fenugreek, star anise, dried blue flowers and Jamón ibérico plus graphite, cedar shavings and wonderful exotic spices at the core. Medium to full-bodied, it offers plenty of mineral, savory fruits with a sturdy frame of very fine, very ripe, very plush tannins and good freshness, finishing very, very long and layered. Yes! This is drinking beautifully right now. Only 200 cases were made.

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Annum is gorgeous. It possesses dazzling richness and power in its fruit, supported by a very classic, firm sense of structure. Blackberries, grilled herbs, menthol and licorice inform the intense, palate-staining finish. This is shaping up to be a gem. The 2010 Annum is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 65% Shartsis, 25% J. Davies and 10% Pedregal. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2030. David Ramey is one of the few California winemakers who thinks in terms of structure, not just flavor, something that sets him apart from many of his peers. All of the wines I tasted at Ramey’s cellar just outside Healdsburg were terrific. I also sampled a number of older wines, all of which have held up very well. Best of all, most of the wines remain very fairly priced considering the quality of what is in the bottle. My visit ended with the 2001 Cabernet Jericho Canyon Road, which was stunning. At age 10 it remains an infant. I only wish I owned it. The next best thing is Ramey’s new Annum bottling from 2009 forward, the vintage in which the main vineyard source switched to Shartsis, a parcel in Rutherford close to Dana Estates’s Helms vineyard. The Pedregal, from a vineyard in Oakville, is perhaps even better, but it also costs twice as much. The appellation Chardonnays spend 12 months in oak, ranging from 20-25% new, while the vineyard designates spent 18 months in oak, with a higher percentage of new barrels.Tel. (707) 433-0870, www.rameywine.com