A Bordeaux-style blend based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, this wine is soft and sweetly luxurious. It offers upfront blackberry, black cherry, red currant, licorice and sandalwood flavors, with a nice edge of tannins. Drink now. ——S.H.(11/1/2011)—— 87

This has been an interesting wine from Niner. Last year’s bottling was terrific. So’s this 2006. At the ripe old age of five, it’s still firm in tannins and even has a cut of acidity that gives the blackberry and blueberry fruit a bite. Tastes fresh and lively, and could improve with 5–6 years in the bottle. ——S.H.(12/1/2011)—— 90

Here’s a dry, tannic wine, elegantly structured, with deep flavors of blackberries, currants, herbs and cedar. It’s a bit hard and unyielding now, but softens in the glass. Very nice with steak. Now–2011.——S.H.(10/1/2009)—— 90