Jean-Louis, the son of Gérard Chave, is now in charge of the family business, as well as being president of the Hermitage wine producers. He is continuing the family tradition of making powerful statements of Syrah from Hermitage, combining massive structure and over-powering perfumes. This 1999 seems to have the best of the traditional world of tannic immensity and the modern world of beautiful, ripe fruit. A wine that will age for a very long time.

J.L. Chave 1999  Hermitage

Aromas lean toward black cherry, chocolate and herbs, which sally forth on the palate serving up more dense fruit, licorice, coffee and beautiful toast flavors. Tannins are smooth, supple and ripe. Long, lush and decadent on the finish.

Colgin 1999 Herb Lamb Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)

Certainly one of the successes of the vintage. Packed with cassis, sage, plum, tobacco, earth and smoky oak, and perfectly dry and balanced. Sheer joy in the mouth, like liquid velvet. It changes every second, offering up tiers of flavors through the spicy finish.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1998 SLV Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)

Plush, smooth and packed tight with complex flavors. Blackberry, anise, black cherry, tar, coal, spice, earth and herbs remain tightly wound, waiting patiently to reveal their full charm in time. Supple, smooth tannins and beautiful balance give this wine classic elegance.

Dalla Valle 1999 Maya Red (Napa Valley)

Even though the 42 months this wine has spent in new wood give it an intensely toasty character, the enormously soft, perfumed fruits and ripe, sweet flavors that go along with the wood produce a finely tuned, balanced wine that should age well over many years. As an expression of pure Syrah, there are few better.

E. Guigal 1998 La Mouline  (Côte Rôtie)

After “fiddling around,” as he puts it, with blends in his '96 and '97 cabs, winemaker Alex Golitzin decided to go with straight Cabernet in '98, an exceptional vintage for Washington State. This is a tight, focused effort, with powerful black fruits augmented with herbs and spices and a hint of mineral. Young, tart and tannic, it will continue to improve as it knits together over the years. Editors' Choice.

Quilceda Creek 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)

A firm, dry, foursquare wine that has power and structure rather than the immediate perfumes of La Mouline, the partner cuvée from Guigal. This is the wine for those who want power with big tannins, and they don't come more powerful or tannic than this. Its aging potential is enormous:  after 10 years there should be more sign of the perfumed fruit which is there, somewhere.

E. Guigal 1998 La Turque  (Côte Rôtie)

Here is a superbly rich and smooth wine. Aromas of violets and flavors of blueberries and red cherries along with dusty tannins, give this wine both immediate appeal and the promise of a good long-term future.

Top of the Barrel

J.L. Chave 1999 Hermitage

Colgin 1999 Herb Lamb Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars 1998 SLV Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)

Dalla Valle 1999 Maya Red (Napa Valley)

E. Guigal 1998 La Mouline (Côte Rôtie)

Quilceda Creek 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington)

E. Guigal 1998 La Turque (Côte Rôtie)

Domaine Jean-Michel Gerin 1999 La Landonne (Côte Rôtie)