Another quasi-garage wine made from 10.6 acres of vines planted with 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, this wine enjoys malolactic fermentation in barrel, aging on its lees, and while unfined, does receive a light filtration.A superb effort, the dark ruby/purple-colored 1998 offers gorgeous aromas of flowers, blackberries, cherries, smoke, licorice, and spice box. It is deep, succulent, medium to full-bodied, with decent acidity, superb purity, and a creamy texture. Tannin is present, but it is well-integrated and balanced by the wine's depth. Anticipated maturity: now-2014.

The 1998 Rol Valentin has a pale to medium brick color and gives up notes of stewed tea, dusty soil, cinnamon stick and tobacco with a gentle undercurrent of dried berries. Medium-bodied, the palate reveals a mature wine on the edge of its downward trajectory, with soft, powdery tannins and bags of freshness boosting the last throws of fruit, finishing earthy.