94 Points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - The 2005 Red Table Wine is composed of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. It also spent 27 months in new French and American oak. The 2005 vintage contains more Red Mountain fruit which may be why it is more structured and powerful; it's also the case that 2005 is a superior vintage. The wine is purple-colored with notes of wood smoke, mineral, spice box, black currant and blackberry. On the palate, it is full-bodied and layered with the tannins well concealed. Reminiscent of a top level Pauillac, it will evolve for 5-7 years and provide pleasure through 2030.

93 Points, Wine Spectator - Supple, generous, long and distinctive for is spicy, smoky blackberry, cherry and plum flavors, expanding beautifully on the long, expressive finish. Has impressive persistence. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2009 through 2015. 7,000 cases made.

90 Points, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar - Good medium ruby. Sexy, complex, very ripe aromas of blackberry, minerals, tar and nutty oak. Suave, lush and fine-grained, with ripe acidity framing the red and black fruit flavors and a note of tobacco leaf providing lift. At once intense and pliant. Finishes broad, long and dry, with substantial oak-driven tannins that call for some patience.

THE BLEND:
71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc

TASTING NOTES:
Aromas of black cherry, berry and dark chocolate fuse with smooth notes of vanilla and spice. Rich and balanced on the palate, this wine finishes with long, lingering flavors of cocoa, black fruits, and vanilla.

Vintage:
The 2005 growing season started cool, followed by 90+ degree days in July and early August.  A temperature drop in late summer cooled the vineyards and allowed the grapes extra hang time to enhance flavor development. Harvest commenced as one of the earliest on record, and moderate weather conditions during harvest contributed to mature fruit with intense flavor, good sugar development, and high natural acidity across red varietals.

Vinification:
Grapes were gently crushed, and lots fermented separately on the skins for an average of seven to 10 days. During this time, a twice-daily pump over regime infused the fermenting juice with flavor, soft tannins and color. The wine was removed from the skins and placed into 75% French and 25% American new oak barrels. Racking occurred every three months during the 26 month aging period, and the international winemaking team of Resident Winemaker Marcus Notaro and Co-Winemakers Doug Gore and Renzo Cotarella tasted through the best wine lots to create the final blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (71%), Merlot (25%), and Cabernet Franc (4%).

VINTNERS:
Col Solare is the partnership between two influential wine producers who are recognized leaders in their respective regions: Tuscany's Marchesi Antinori and Washington state's Chateau Ste. Michelle. Col Solare, Italian for 'shining hill,' realizes the partners mission to unite two unique viticultural and winemaking cultures to produce an ultra-luxury Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine.