Weighty and supple, this continues the strong mid-90s run with its dark fruit, toast and herb nose. There's a touch of sweet sur-maturité (overripeness) here, but there's tangy acidity, too, to keep it together. It's deep and sweet, with blackberry, chocolate and herb flavors and a lengthy, smooth black pepper and anise-tinged finish. Drink now-2007, probably sooner rather than later.

The 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Artist Series reveals rugged tannin in addition to medium to full body, an earthy rusticity, and dark fruits intermixed with foresty/underbrush notes. It will benefit from another 1-2 years of cellaring and keep for 10-15 years.