This past week-end down at deer camp we started off with a 2007 DeBortoli Vat 4 Petite Verdot with great pizza. Full of sweet cherry and no rough edges. Found on discount at $8.50 I bought all they had (5 bottles).
Listened to the Ohio state game, (no electricity at the cabin) and sipped a NV Pommery Brut while listening to the massacre. Quite yeasty and a bit of fresh bread dough but none of the mushroomy nose and flavors of a previous bottle.
With left-over pizza on Sat. nite I opened a 1996 Richie Creek Napa Cab. that was finally ready for consumption. Just a trace of cassis but more black fruits like black raspberry. Very well balanced and still having lots of smooth tannins, I wish I had not started drinking these so soon. One left I think.