By L. PIERCE CARSON

More than a decade ago, an ongoing consolidation of wine wholesalers gave rise to small independents who cater to small- and medium-sized producers throughout the country.

Not wanting to be swallowed up in the huge portfolios of giant coast-to-coast distributors, the little guys -- winemakers whose productions range from 5,000 to 50,000 -- looked for ways to get their wines to consumers without having to resort to huge sales forces of their own.

Filling the need were a number of savvy wine aficionados eager to spread the word about exceptional vintners and the outstanding wines they produce.

Such is the case with S-Squared Boutique Wine Brokers, a two-year-old venture from avowed wine geeks Sam Sharp and Spencer Dubuque, respective transplants from the Big Apple and an outback in Vermont called North Hero Island.

Both Sharp and Dubuque have extensive industry experience. At first, Sharp contemplated a career as a brewmeister while studying at the Goethe Institute in Schwabisch Hall, Germany. He even went so far as to help a friend establish a microbrewery in Denver before setting his sights on the California wine country.

"I grew up in a family that appreciated wine so I knew what it tasted like," Sharp says of his youth. "My experience in Germany reinforced that. But most of the wines I'd had up to this point were French and German. So when I came to Napa, I felt the wine industry would be a good place to look for a job. I joined the staff of Clos Du Val Winery to learn as much as I could about retail and sales."

Dubuque's childhood was spent in bucolic New England. In fact, his daily trek to high school included some time on a boat to and from a remote island. "As a kid, I wound up cooking in restaurants and I fell in love with food and wine," Dubuque admits. Once he'd settled on a California lifestyle, he hired on at Franciscan Vineyard and eventually wound up as a company sommelier, traveling as many as 40 weeks out of every year.

Tired of working for others, Sharp and Dubuque hatched a plan to launch their own wine distribution firm after sharing a few bottles of wine while watching Yankees games on the telly.

S-Squared came onto the scene two years ago with the two partners hawking five wine brands. Today, S-Squared represents 20 California brands with a sales force of 10 covering all of Northern California. The firm's main focus is high end cabernets.

One of those small, new, impressive wine brands is Carter Cellars, owned and operated by the proprietor of the celebrated Victorian inn, the Carter House, in Eureka. Carter is also lauded for the excellent restaurant in the Carter House, with a wine list that could bring critic Robert Parker to his knees. With the help of industry stalwarts, Carter launched his own wine band in 1998. He picked one of the valley's best winemakers, Nils Venge, to craft his limited portfolio of red wine.

Venge is widely recognized as one of the valley's present-day wine pioneers. He has the distinction of being the first American winemaker ever to receive 100 points from Robert Parker (for his 1985 Groth Reserve Cabernet).

With the help of his assistant winemaker, Jeff Fontanella, Venge makes four small production reds for Carter. They are nothing short of amazing -- a trio of single vineyard cabernets and a stellar Carneros merlot made from Tony Truchard's exceptional fruit. Sharp and Dubuque recently popped the corks on the four wines and here's our impression:

Carter Cellars Truchard Vineyards Merlot 2004 ($45): Better put in your order for this one as only 100 six packs were produced. This wine jumps out of the glass, an inviting bouquet of ripe, sweet Bing cherries that follows through to a lingering finish that includes a little spice and a hint of freshly ground coffee. You'd never know the alcohol is 14.8 percent if you didn't look because this is a merlot with lots of Carneros pedigree. Drink now -- 'cause I know you will -- or keep a few bottles for a special celebration a few years from now.

Carter Cellars Revilo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($95): The fruit for this blockbuster comes from a Bale Lane vineyard planted with the Inglenook clone by the late Reg Oliver (hence Revilo). There's a bit more of this one -- at 400 six packs it's the largest release from Carter. At this tasting, this was my favorite cab of the three, but only by a hair. I like the spicy, floral nose and the silky tannins, the taste of ripe cherries and blackberries, sweet vanilla from the oak and tropical notes on the finish. Once the wine's released this fall, this is the one I'll be drinking.

Carter Cellars Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($95): Designed to age, this juicy cabernet has all the wonderful smells cab fanciers enjoy. Earthy, a tad floral, it's easy to like, the ripe blackberries and cassis flavors blending with mineral notes on the tongue. This is a wine you can lay down for a decade without batting an eye.

Carter Cellars Napa Valley Coliseum Block Cabernet Sauvignon ($115): Another excellent Venge wine with more alcohol than you'd expect from a few sips. Slightly herbal, with a bit of olive and mineral on the nose, ripe, juicy blackberries and a touch of dark plums linger on the long finish. This one should age well too for it's a massive wine with plenty of stuffing.

We also tasted the newest releases from Bravante Vineyards, a small Howell Mountain operation with superior wines made by Duane Dappen of D-Cubed Cellars fame. Excellent mountain fruit from two vineyards -- one on a volcanic bench, the other in unusually deep soil for a mountainside vineyard -- shows up in the glass in the two wines tasted.

Bravante Vineyards Howell Mountain Merlot 2003 ($34): An intense wine with aromas of blackberry, mushrooms, spice and a hint of tarragon. A bit of cinnamon is the spice that underlines the ripe blackberries and cherries that fill the mouth, from entry to lingering finish. A well balanced wine with soft tannins (there's nearly 10 percent cabernet sauvignon and 7 percent cabernet franc in the blend), this is a merlot that demands food, like roasted meats or a grilled duck breast with cherry sauce. Already in release, this is a bargain price for such a well-made Napa Valley merlot.

Bravante Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 ($45): Gorgeous mountain fruit, this cabernet has a beautiful, beguiling nose, a mix of black fruit and earthy minerals. Well-structured, this elegant wine literally blooms in the mouth, as blackberries and dark plums wash over the palate to deliver a long satisfying finish. This one's just been released and is a great price for a distinctive Napa Valley cab.

Wine lovers can pre-order the Carter wines at Vintrust.com. They will be shipped in November. They'll also be available at Dean and DeLuca. Inquiries about these wines and others handled by S-Squared can be directed to Dubuque and Sharp at www.s2wines.com.