♦ 94 Points - James Laube, Wine Spectator "A fantastic effort, aging well, this is firm, rich and youthful, brimming with dense, concentrated blackberry and wild berry fruit, touches of crushed rock and fresh earth, and notes of dried herb, cedar and dill. Ends with ripe, chewy tannins. Remarkably persistent on the finish. 2005 California Cabernet blind retrospective (September 2015). Drink now through 2025. 2,000 cases made." (retrospective tasting, September 2015) ♦ 92+ Points - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate "The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Il Barone, which is the winery’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon, tips the scales at a lofty 14.6% natural alcohol that is well hidden beneath a cascade of blackberry, cassis, and blueberry fruit as well as is some new saddle leather and a touch of oak. The wine is fresh, lively, full-bodied, and very youthful for a wine already ten years of age. Nicely textured, thick and juicy, this is a beauty to drink over the next 12-15 years." (retrospective review, June 2015) ♦ 91 Points - International Wine Review “The 2005 vintage of Il Barone exhibits a savory nose with herbal and violet notes and a gorgeous velvet-like palate of rich dark fruit with earth and pepper accents. Somewhat chalky tannins show on the mid-palate and the wine finishes with firm, dry tannins.”