72 pts - Wine Spectator
Dark-hued, dense and chewy, with earthy currant, blackberry and wild berry flavors, yet also shows a trace of iodine and lead. The tannins are intense, drying and chalky on the finish. Best of three tastings. 7,400 cases made. — JL (10/2006)
93 pts - Vinous
(bottled in November of 24) Good deep ruby-red. Highly aromatic nose combines musky redcurrant and tobacco. Plush, broad and fine-grained; atypically sexy and showy for this wine, in much the same way that Montelena's basic 22 Napa cabernet is unusually pliant and rich. Finishes with big, dusty, but rather suave tannins. This offers early accessibility but has the material and structure for extended aging. The alcohol here is 14.3%, the highest since the 1978, which was 14.4%.- Stephen Tanzer (5/25)