Herb Lamb HL Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

The 1999 HL Cabernet Sauvignon has intense fruit characteristics typical of Napa Valley's hillside vineyards. "I think this is the best vintage of this vineyard I've ever worked with," says winemaker Mike Trujillo. "The most exciting thing for me is that these 1999 wines are built to go the long run. It is a classic vintage, not fat and overly ripe, but opulent and graceful and just keeps giving."

The nose is cedary and spicy and full of vibrant, forward dark fruits. We used primarily new, tight-grained French Taransaud barrels with a small percentage of Nadalie for a sweet oak component. This wine shows lots of black fruit, black pepper, plum, ripe blueberry and spice character indicative of the hillside vineyard, with a suggestion of black licorice and bittersweet chocolate.