Gallo of Sonoma Meritage 2002. A blend with all five grapes in the cepage.
Quite elegant, low key California Bordeaux blend with an emphasis on the red fruit side of things. Balanced alcohol (under 14%) some herbal notes. Nice. HOWEVER, quite heavy handed with the new oak. (17 months, 100%). Not sure the fruit or intensity or even the style they apparantly went for here merited all new oak.
2005 Domain Charbay Napa Valley. A distilled spirits maker who produced a cab blend from Spring Mountain. Did not really care for this. My tastes have changed and I now actively dislike very smokey, high toast oak as much as I dislike obvious vanilla. This was also somewhat spiky and discombulated. Not a fan.
2005 Von Strasser. Some of the characteristic iron notes I've found in his wines before. Pretty low key, dominant tannins. Only "OK" at this point. The 2004 and the 2006 vintages were better.