These two big bottles may look similar from the outside but they offer an interesting comparison of two different growing seasons in Mendocino. The grapes for both of these wines came from the same location; Eaglepoint's vineyards are situated on a chain of rolling hills 1500 feet above the Russian River. The 2000 Cabernet was picked two weeks earlier than the 1999 but the sugars at harvest were actually higher. Surprisingly the acid on the 2000 was also slightly higher but both wines started their life in the bottle with a remarkably taut ring. In 1999 the grapes ripened at a snail's pace, driving everyone nuts, but the '99 just may prove to be the longer lived. Let us know what you think. Both wines are Gold Medal winners.