A favorite value cabernet, the new vintage of Avalon Napa Valley ups the ante, including fruit from all the region's great sub-appellations - Howell Mountain, Rutherford and Oakville - as well as fruit from along the Silverado Trail and Soda Canyon. The 2006 is brick red, with a lovely cab nose of Bing cherry, cassis and anise, with secondary aromas of vanilla and clove spice, shortbread and smoke. Supple and easy to drink, the fruit and spice come through concentrated on the palate. A great follow up to their widely touted 2005.