2011 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon Cold Creek Vineyard

Even better, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Cold Creek Vineyard is impressive, with classic dark fruits, graphite, lead pencil shavings, licorice and herb-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully textured, balanced and with fine tannin, it’s an excellent bottle of wine that will have upwards of a decade’s of longevity. Chateau Ste Michelle continues to release high-quality wines that, in most cases, represent superb values. All of these 2011s and 2012s are noteworthy. Tel. (425) 415-3300; www.ste-michelle.com

(14.5% alcohol): Good dark red. Reduced aromas of licorice and clove spice. Supple and creamy in the mouth; denser than the Indian Wells example but still quite dominated by its oak element, showing more mocha and clove than primary fruits today. With its easygoing texture and soft tannins, this seems ready to drink.