Smith-Madrone Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley ) 2004

When first opened, this Smith-Madrone was closed and thin. But red wines at age 5 are often in a dumb stage, so I double decanted it and let it breathe for about 45 minutes. The wine now offered up a sweet bouquet of dark berries, oak, and herbs, along with a whiff of bell pepper. The attack has good forward fruit, bracing acidity, and fairly firm tannins. It needs some time in the cellar to soften and evolve, but has a lot of promise for the future. Grade: A-