Some stunning Cabernet Sauvignon wines have been produced this year in California even though the weather was uneven throughout most of the growing season. It rained heavily in spring and this resulted in uneven flowering and budding.

The summer was hot and dry before cool autumnal weather hit many regions and in some areas this was accompanied by heavy rains. The cool weather allowed for a longer ripening period than normal, with the harvest stretching through into November.

The whites were of variable quality and should all have been drunk by now. The Pinot Noir crop in Carneros and other parts of the Napa Valley was down 10 to 15 percent in some cases but the quality of the fruit was excellent, with superb wines being produced. The Cabernet Sauvignons are outstanding with the best examples being deeply coloured, intensely flavoured and possessing the power and structure to reward extended cellaring.