base of neck or better - ChapFour fan favorite, very difficult to find in original case quantity as buyers drink them up!

92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Deep red-ruby. Perfumed, captivating aromas of cherry, currant, tobacco, espresso, graphite and game; cooler than the merlot reserve - more like Bordeaux than California. Thick, silky and voluptuous, with terrific depth of flavor and a seamless texture. But the wine's sweetness shows lovely restraint. Finishes with fine, light tannins and a note of tobacco. Showing very well today, but has plenty of structure to age. (12/1998)

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

This wine, Napa's answer to Cheval Blanc (each is made from a blend of two-thirds Cabernet Franc and one-third Merlot), offers an exotic, complex, evolved, coffee bean and berry-scented nose. In the mouth, this rich, full-bodied wine exhibits sweet tannin, low acidity, a lush texture, and a moderately long finish. With its gobs of fruit, expansive palate, and distinctive personality, it is more than a good imitation of Cheval Blanc. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.( 8/1998)