Sloan, Napa Valley Napa Valley --Vintage 2000(3) "An impressive effort in a troublesome vintage, the 2000 Sloan (310 cases) is a sign of things to come from this budding superstar. An opaque blue/purple color is accompanied by beautiful aromas of smoky cassis, high quality cigar tobacco, melted licorice, and roasted espresso. This dense, full-bodied, rich 2000 exhibits a creamy texture, well-integrated tannin, and remarkable unctuosity, a characteristic found in few 2000s. Notes of chocolate emerge as the wine sits in the glass. Obvious tannin suggests 2-3 years of cellaring is warranted; it is capable of lasting 15-16 years." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #150 (Dec 2003) --Vintage 2001(6) "The opaque purple-colored 2001 Sloan offers gorgeous aromas of espresso roast, smoked meats, creme de cassis, blackberries, damp earth, and new saddle leather. Full-bodied, opulent, and savory, with tremendous power and richness as well as an extraordinary finish, this compelling Cabernet should be at its finest between 2008-2025+." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #157 (Feb 2005) --Vintage 2002(5) "The 2002 is indeed one of the greatest Cabernet Sauvignons I have ever tasted from California. Boasting enormous concentration, extraordinary complexity (roasted coffee notes intermixed with blueberry, blackberry, jus de viande, subtle smoky oak, and a wealth of spice), it possesses terrific fruit, extraordinary intensity, and an amazingly pure, rich, long (over 50 seconds), blockbuster finish. This brilliant, uncompromising expression of Cabernet Sauvignon clearly demonstrates this vineyard's potential as well as the enormous, multi-million-dollar effort Stuart Sloan has put into both the winery and the vineyard. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020+. Talk about coming out with a Big Bang! Stuart Sloan, the Seattle businessman, has hit both gold and home runs with his extraordinary vineyard perched high on a hill above the renowned restaurant/hotel complex of Auberge du Soleil. A 60-acre estate only partially planted in vines, with David Abreu handling the viticulture and Martha Levy (wife of Harlan Estates' Bob Levy) making the wine, this is as impressive a new operation as I have ever witnessed." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #162 (Dec 2005) --Vintage 2003(6) "The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, now in bottle, is an amazing wine with a dense purple color and a gorgeous nose of new saddle leather, espresso roast, licorice, chocolate, and enormous quantities of black currant, cherry, and fruit intermixed with smoked meats. Full-bodied, powerful, with a broad savory mouthfeel, a multi-layered texture, and no hardness in the finish, this wine has evolved beautifully, and can be drunk now or cellared for 25+ years. Previously recommended: 2002 Proprietary Red (100)." Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #168 (Dec 2006) All in original wooden cases