I agree with Greg - there was a massive and well-documented style change for California Cabernet wines that was just getting started in 1994 and may have been close to its peak (in terms of dominance) in 2007. Most winemakers shifted to an increasingly unbalanced overripe high alcohol approach that focused entirely on fruit flavors to the detriment of complexity and ageability. Cool, dry weather in September and early October of 2007 (before a few minor rain showers arrived in mid-October) allowed most winemakers the lengthy hang time they wanted to get the rich ripe fruit forward wines that were all the rage amongst critics and drinkers alike.
Although most Napa Cabs are still being made in the high-octane style, 2007 probably marked the high point of the “richness is everything” approach, because within a couple of years we started seeing new Cabernets from Matthiasson and others, and the press started paying more attention to wineries like Corison that never altered their lower-alcohol practices. Changes didn’t just impact the Cabernets, either. Wells Guthrie famously dialed back his approach starting with the 2006 vintage, and by 2011 “In Pursuit of Balance” was making its mark by highlighting a radically different approach to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The pendulum is swinging back…