1995 Martin Ray Saratoga Cuvee California

[newsguy]

($32) purplish black in color, nearly opaque with a hint of lightening at the rim. deep nose of currants, ripe plums and a little bubble gum, with a taste to match -- along with a whisper of oak at the end. a seamless, full bodied cab, with flavors shifting from one to the other as it dances down the tongue. a very long finish, and surprisingly the still fairly full tannins don't stomp on it much at all.

because i found this in a store in D.C. in january and it spent nine months at room temperature here in FLA, i didn't want to risk waiting any longer on opening this. if you are fortunate enough to have some of this wine, i wouldn't pop a bottle until 2005. it's got a ways to go and i'm sure will continue to improve.

admittedly, my wine exposure is very limited compared to many of you. but this is probably the second-best wine i've ever tasted. i'd give it a 93 now -- and REALLY wish i had more of it to see what it's like down the road. it definitely has potential.

and boy, did it ever go nicely last night with a rubbed, aged premium hereford N.Y. strip and olive oil-rubbed baked potato. what a meal!