00 Andrew Will, Sheridan Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Finally, an American cabernet that doesn't have "gobs" of anything. Built first on structure -- a righteous balance of acid and smoky, fine-grained tannins -- it's consistently expressive on all accounts. The flavors extend the normal presence of cabernet. The cocoa is elastic; the leather cured beneath the Texan sun. And the fruit flavor isn't just of cassis, but of burnt raisins that remember they were once ripe grapes.