The Venge Vineyards wines (as opposed to the Saddleback wines) were crafted by Nil's son, Kirk, not Nils himself if I recall correctly.

2000 Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve

Seen better days. Translucent, faintly murky red. Sour cherries on the nose. Sharp, harsh, bit hot on the palate. Black cherries and currants. Fine tannins, sharp acidity, out of balance. Finishes moderately long, dark fruited and harsh. Open for 90 minutes, with a small pour removed, before note taken. "D"

2003 Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve

I had this two years ago and it was quite nice. Faded seriously since then. Dark red color. Green, stemmy aromas. Palate follows suit. Intense dark fruits but with a green streak. Resolved tannins. Decent acidity and balance. Bit murky on the mid-palate. Finishes short with sour red fruits. Not awful but definitely past prime. Open for 90 minutes, with a small pour removed, before note taken. "C-"

The Saddleback wines have aged far better than the Venge Vineyards label wines in my experience.

Charlie