2005 Switchback Ridge Peterson Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 ****

Warning: This is a knock your ass to the floor wine. You will be tempted to drink the whole bottle in one sitting. That would be a mistake.

I opened and decanted this 2005 Switchback Ridge Peterson Family Vinyard Cabernet Sauvignon **** from winemaker Robert Foley for two hours before pouring the first glass. Deep and brooding; virtually opaque. The nose was stewed plums and black cherries. Highly extracted and dense, with suprising acidity, a velvety texture, and mild blueberry jam notes. The new oak is very well concealed.

Napa Valley Vintners states, "Switchback Ridge produces handcrafted estate wines sourced exclusively from the Peterson Family Vineyard in Calistoga. The property has been in the Peterson family since 1914 and encompasses nearly 100 acres located at the mouth of Dutch Henry Canyon. Varietals grown and produced include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Sirah."

The first glass will leave you calm. The second and you won't want to get out of your seat. If you can finish a third glass, you should go straight to bed. You will be tempted to finish it. Try not to. At 15.5% alcohol by volume, you'll be happy to have that third and fourth glass by day two, when the wine develops secondary characteristics.

Corrections: In my November 22, 2008 post I described a Dominus that I returned at a restaurant because it tasted off to me. The maitre d' opined that it was maderized. It was a term I had never heard before and I misspoke. According to Epicurious.com, "Maderization, which occurs primarily in white and rose wine, is generally caused by oxidation (exposure to air), often combined with overly warm storage."