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As good as it gets for Washington Cabernet Sauvignon. Massive blue fruit and milk chocolate aromas leap from the glass to join more savoury tomato and sage notes, with brighter blueberry scents evolving after an hour of air. The lengthy palate is dense and chewy with light tannins, the mouthfeel becoming more silky and elegantly textured with time. Rich yet balanced flavours of blue fruits and wild blackberry cobbler are joined by mocha tones and exotic sandalwood spice. Perfectly evolved now, and one to enjoy within the next five years. Drinking Window 2020 - 2025Decanter | 100 DECThe 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon contains 3% Merlot and 1% Cabernet with the wine sourced from the Champoux, Klipsun, and Taptiel Vineyards. It was aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak. There are 3400 cases produced, most of it sold through the winery’s mailing list and the rest in a handful of markets. Opaque purple-colored, it delivers a remarkable array of aromas including pain grille, violets, pencil lead, truffle, Asian spices, black currant, and blueberry. This leads to a lustrous, layered, velvet-textured wine with gobs of spicy, ripe black fruits and beautifully integrated oak, tannin, and acidity. The long, pure finish goes on for well over a minute. It will evolve for a decade and drink well through 2045. I was able to retaste the 2001, 2002, and 2003 vintages and can only say that Monsieur Rovani’s notes and scores are right on the bulls-eye.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RP(includes 3% merlot and 1% cabernet franc) Good deep red-ruby. Knockout nose offers deep notes of plum, currant, truffle, chocolate and smoky oak lifted by violet and lavender. The palate projects a nearly confectionery sweetness and huge dimension but with lovely energy giving it a rather suave texture. This has the chocolatey character of all the Quilceda 2004s. The sweet oak element helps to give the wine shape. Finishes with plenty of acid grip and ripe tannins that reach the incisors. This easily carries its 15% alcohol.Vinous Media | 95 VMThis is a spectacular effort. Cascading flavors of black cherry, plum and cassis are drenched in caramel, mocha and buttery barrel flavors. Although the wine lists at a hefty 14.9% alcohol, it does not sacrifice elegance, nor does it substitute power for polish. The rush of blueberry, blackberry, black cherry and currant fruit, the layers of smoke and graphite, and the immense barrel flavors just keep on rolling through the palate. It will probably age quite well, but why wait?Wine Enthusiast | 95 WEVelvety and generous. A supple, insinuating style, with coffee and bittersweet chocolate accents around a beautifully contained core of ripe currant, plum and cherry fruit. Has great presence, balance and harmony. The finish expands impressively against a veil of firm tannins and well-integrated oak flavors. Best from 2010 through 2020. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 3,400 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

The 2004 Barolo Riserva Monfortino is drop-dead gorgeous. I have tasted the wine multiple times from barrel and three times from bottle and never been anything less than blown away. The 2004 is a subtle, layered Monfortino that captures the sheer elegance and finesse of this great vintage. It is sweet, perfumed, silky and utterly mind-blowing. From barrel it has always been a 100 point wine, but it has just been bottled and naturally a bit closed in on itself. Still, with some time in the glass its silky, perfumed fruit and dazzling class come to life. The 2004 is remarkably harmonious for such a young wine. Readers will have much fun debating which is the greatest Monfortino of recent years. Could it be the 1996, 1999 or 2002 for their huge structure and classicism? Or, is it the 1997 for its opulence? What if the dark horse 1998 and 2000 steal the show? Personally, I adore the 2001 and 2004 for their completeness, but the 2004 is the sexiest of them all. Sadly, 2004 is also the year Giovanni Conterno passed away, but one can’t escape the feeling his spirit lives in this wine. Kudos to Roberto Conterno and his team for this magnificent, thrilling Barolo. Anticipated maturity: 2019-2044.The drive from Barolo to Monforte was a little different this year. Peering across the valley over the hillside where the Conterno winery sits, the observant eye will notice a number of large barrels outside the main building. Roberto Conterno had no choice but to replace a number of his casks this year as the staves had begun to bend from many years of use, and Conterno was understandably afraid of the unthinkable, that the casks could finally yield to old age full of wine. Still, he was clearly upset by having to replace barrels that he personally moved into the new winery with his father during the summer of 1985. Just to think of the wines that were racked during that move. The 1978, 1979 and 1982 Monfortini were still in cask. To be honest, seeing the empty space in the winery as the new casks were about to arrive was quite a shock. The wines, however, were not. I tasted all of the wines currently in cask plus the new releases from bottle. My high expectations were easily surpassed. Conterno fans have a lot to look forward to. Roberto Conterno has decided to give his new Nebbiolo from the Cerretta vineyard another year in barrel. At the moment Conterno is leaning towards releasing the 2009 as a Langhe Nebbiolo rather than Barolo, although that could always change. Readers who want to learn more about the 2011 harvest at Conterno may want to take a look at my video interview with Roberto Conterno.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2004 Barolo Riserva Monfortino confirms its place as one of the finest Monfortinos ever made. From magnum, it is so special. The long growing season produced a Monfortino of unusual silkiness, perfume and elegance. In many ways, the 2004 is the first modern Monfortino – the first vintage that was gorgeous right out of the gate, qualities it shares with the 2008 and 2014, also wines from later-ripening vintages. Soaring aromatics and silky tannins give the 2004 so much sheer appeal that recall the 1982. The 2004 has long been one of my favorites, as it is again on this night.Vinous Media | 100 VM