May 09, 2008  TENIMENTI ANGELINI  Brunello di Montalcino Val di Suga 2003 (91 points, $57)
Offers pretty blackberry and raspberry aromas. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a fresh, floral, berry aftertaste. Best after 2009. 10,850 cases made.
- James Suckling

May 08, 2008  ANWILKA  Stellenbosch 2006 (89 points, $45)
This is very forward and easygoing, with a polished beam of raspberry and currant fruit backed by notes of cedar, coffee and vanilla on the finish. A shade less concentrated than the debut 2005. Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot. Drink now. 4,500 cases made.
- James Molesworth

May 07, 2008  BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF  The Chocolate Block Western Cape 2006 (89 points, $39)
Forward and floral, with enticing violet and peach notes backed by a slightly soft but alluring palate of blackberry and plum fruit. A nice minerally twang keeps this honest on the finish and extends the length. Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and Viognier. Drink now through 2009. 7,900 cases made.
- James Molesworth

May 06, 2008  DELILLE  D2 Columbia Valley 2005 (91 points, $38)
Supple and generous, this seamless wine delivers a lithe mouthful of tobacco- and spice-accented black cherry and berry flavors, adding savory, minty notes as the finish sails on. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2013. 2,800 cases made.
- Harvey Steiman

May 05, 2008  SNOWDEN  Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley The Ranch 2005 (91 points, $40)
Dense, rich and concentrated, offering a firm core of dried currant, mocha-laced oak, sage, mineral and hazelnut notes, with a long, intense, focused and persistent finish. Best from 2010 through 2016. 1,620 cases made.
- James Laube

May 03, 2008  FATTORIA LA LECCIAIA  Brunello di Montalcino 2003 (91 points, $40)
Raspberry, flowers and citrus fruits on the nose lead to a full-bodied palate, with lots of fruit. Almost jammy, but fresh and dense. Generous. Best after 2010. 9,000 cases made.
- James Suckling

May 02, 2008  FERRARI-CARANO  Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros Reserve 2005 (89 points, $40)
Marked by subtle lime and green apple-pear flavors that gain complexity and depth, finishing with a long aftertaste that keeps a citrus, mineral, smoky and cedary oak profile. Drink now through 2011. 6,750 cases made.
- James Laube

May 01, 2008  L'ECOLE NO. 41  Merlot Columbia Valley 2005 (90 points, $30)
Bright and distinctive, offering red cherry and currant flavors that just won't quit as this lean, lithe wine zings across the palate. Finishes with silky texture. Drink now through 2012. 6,082 cases made.
- Harvey Steiman

Apr 30, 2008  DOMAINE DES SÉNÉCHAUX  Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005 (92 points, $42)
Very ripe, with a great core of raspberry ganache, boysenberry and currant confiture notes all layered with dark bittersweet cocoa and tar hints. The long finish shows serious grip, with a sappy intensity. Best from 2010 through 2025. 800 cases imported.
- James Molesworth

Apr 29, 2008  VILAFONTÉ  Series M Paarl 2005 (90 points, $50)
Ripe and polished, with mocha and coffee notes leading the way for medium-weight black cherry and plum fruit. Lingering, smoky finish is deceptively long. Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2010. 1,600 cases made.
- James Molesworth

Apr 28, 2008  JOH. JOS. PRÜM  Riesling Auslese Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Wehlener Sonnenuhr 2006 (93 points, $47)
Aromatic, offering smoke, slate, peach and floral aromas and picking up a lime accent on the palate. Lighter than air, with a silky texture and a long, tangy aftertaste. There's a nice combination of intensity and delicacy. Drink now through 2030. 1,500 cases made.
- Bruce Sanderson

Apr 26, 2008  DOMAINE DU VIEUX TÉLÉGRAPHE  Châteauneuf-du-Pape White La Crau 2006 (93 points, $50)
Nice and stony throughout, with persimmon, blanched almond, clementine and honeysuckle notes that spread out on the rich yet minerally finish. Also has the acidity to age nicely. Drink now through 2015. 1,665 cases made.
- James Molesworth

Apr 25, 2008  DOMAINE BOIS DE BOURSAN  Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005 (91 points, $49)
Well-built, with solid tarry grip running through the grilled beef, dark licorice, espresso, loam and mineral notes. The long, chewy finish has a slightly roasted edge, but this stays driven enough. Drink now through 2022. 4,000 cases made.
- James Molesworth

Apr 24, 2008  PEJU  Cabernet Franc Napa Valley 2004 (88 points, $45)
This shows Bordeaux-like herb, cedar and spicy oak aromas and is sleek, intense and polished on the palate. Well-focused, long and complex, with fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2011. 2,370 cases made.
- James Laube

Apr 23, 2008  CLOS ST.-JEAN  Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2005 (93 points, $45)
Quite ripe, with almost flashy fig, currant paste and mocha notes that slowly give way to more loam, tar and coffee flavors. This really shows its density on the finish, with hints of Port reduction and licorice pushed by ample but ripe tannins. Best from 2010 through 2030. 1,030 cases made.
- James Molesworth

Apr 22, 2008  BODEGAS LOS ASTRALES  Ribera del Duero 2004 (94 points, $55)
Alluring and exotic. Kirsch and raspberry ganache aromas leap from the glass. The flavors carry through the palate, with mocha, blueberry and smoky notes building through the finish. A modern style, yet distinctive, a bit wild. Drink now through 2015. 2,500 cases made.
- Thomas Matthews

Apr 21, 2008  MAS MARTINET VITICULTORS  Priorat Martinet Bru 2005 (88 points, $37)
This dark, savory red shows coffee, sous bois and meaty flavors, with plum and prune fruit over thick tannins. Has density, in a brooding character. Best from 2009 through 2015. 3,200 cases made.
- Thomas Matthews

Apr 19, 2008  DOMAINE DU VIEUX TÉLÉGRAPHE  Châteauneuf-du-Pape Télégramme 2005 (91 points, $35)
Ripe, with nice kirsch and raspberry fruit backed by darker hints of applewood-smoked bacon, plum sauce and dark licorice. Juicy and long on the finish, this stretches out nicely. A great second wine. Best from 2009 through 2025. 5,000 cases made.
- James Molesworth

Apr 18, 2008  JAX  Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2004 (89 points, $42)
Aromas of fresh-cut herb, dried currant, mineral and dusty oak give this a nice range of flavors that are firm and structured, finishing with a complex aftertaste and a hint of green olive. Drink now through 2012. 942 cases made.
- James Laube

Apr 17, 2008  THE COLONIAL ESTATE  Envoy Barossa Valley 2005 (92 points, $35)
Supple and seductive, this brims with lovely pomegranate-tinged red cherry and spice flavors, hinting at clove and tobacco as the finish lingers. A graceful red, with pizzazz, that feels airborne on the finish. Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2015. 2,000 cases made.
- Harvey Steiman

Apr 16, 2008  CLIFF LEDE  Claret Stags Leap District 2005 (90 points, $35)
Firm, intense and vibrant, with a mix of mineral, dried currant, anise, black cherry, sage and spicy, leathery notes that are complex and structured, ending with a touch of green olive. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2013. 3,818 cases made.
- James Laube

Apr 15, 2008  HONIG  Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005 (90 points, $40)
Dill-laced oak and dried currant and black cherry form a rich, tight, complex core of flavors that give this a tight focus and long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2013. 11,500 cases made.
- James Laube

Apr 14, 2008  CHÂTEAU LA NERTHE  Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005 (91 points, $40)
Elegant for the vintage, with a silky texture to the raspberry, boysenberry and plum fruit, all layered with sweet spice, mesquite and fruitcake notes. Has a long, supple finish. Drink now through 2020. 13,750 cases made.
- James Molesworth

Apr 12, 2008  BERINGER  Chardonnay Napa Valley Private Reserve 2006 (92 points, $35)
Elegant, rich and complex, with supple layers of ripe pear, apple, melon and appealing ginger spice notes that unfold gracefully and end with a succulent array of flavors, polish and finesse. Drink now through 2010. 21,100 cases made.
- James Laube

Apr 11, 2008  THE COLONIAL ESTATE  Shiraz Barossa Valley Explorateur 2005 (90 points, $35)
Supple and silky in texture, with a lovely range of red plum and blackberry flavors, which linger on the plush finish, but without excess weight. Drink now through 2015. 7,000 cases made.
- Harvey Steiman