1996 Viader Napa Valley ($41) (95-99 pts Wine Spectator). Young and grapey, with beautiful fruit. Lots of plum, cherry, berry and floral notes, with a wonderful aftertaste. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (86 percent) this time. (91-94 pts Robert Parker) The opaque purple-colored 1996 offers a gorgeous nose of black fruits, flowers, and minerals. A full-bodied, superbly-concentrated, rich, pure wine, it possesses splendid intensity and harmony, with all of its acidity and tannin seamlessly meshed into a long finish with no hard edges. The wine should drink well when released, and last for 15+ years.

1996 St Clement Oroppas ($31)

1995 Del Dotto ($43)

1995 Aroma ($15)

1995 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley ($20) (90 pts Wine Spectator). A dense, well-oaked style, with plenty of anise, currant, chocolate, cedar and berry flavors to sustain it. Turns complex and supple on the finish, though it the tannic strength to cellar short-term. Represents good value in today's California Cabernet market at this price and score. Try through 2004. (89 pts Robert Parker) The wine is a beautifully made wine that comes close to being outstanding. It boasts a textbook cassis and eucalyptus-scented nose with oak in the background. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, with excellent ripeness, clean fruit, and a long, spicy finish. It avoids some of the vintage's hard tannins.

1995 Chateau Souverain Alexander Valley ($12) (89 pts Wine Spectator). Impressive for its tightly focused, smoky, earthy, meaty currant, anise and sage flavors, finishing with crisp, raw tannins. Best to give this complex wine short-term cellaring to soften the rough edges; try from 2001 through 2009. (40,000 cases produced). (87 pts Robert Parker) the wine is loaded with black currant fruit and cassis and is made in a silky-textured, rich full-bodied style. Some smoky oak rests in the background, and the finish is nicely layered with no hard edges. This excellent Cabernet Sauvignon could easily sell for a much higher price.

1994 Chateau Souverain Alexander Valley ($10) (89 pts Wine Spectator). From one of California's more fertile Cabernet-growing regions comes this firm, intense and concentrated red, with layers of currant, plum, and black cherry flavors that fan out deliciously. Finishes with a well-focused, fruity aftertaste punctuated with dashes of herb and cedar.

1994 Beringer Knights Valley Appellation Collection Sonoma ($20) (91 pts Wine Spectator). Young, tight, and firmly tannic, this well-crafted California Cabernet slowly unwinds its core of ripe and delicious plum, black cherry, currant and spice flavors. Finishes with sufficient tannic strength to merit short-term cellaring, so try in 1998 to 2000. (59,000 cases produced). (89 pts Robert Parker) Exhibits a dark ruby/purple color, and a sweet black currant-scented nose with smoky oak, and earthy, chocolately notes. I thought this medium body highly fruity, delicious wine was outstanding last year but slightly less prodigious this year. Should drink well for a decade, and possibly earn an even higher rating.