Cabernet Sauvignon

I’ve long held the belief that it’s pretty hard to mess up Cabernet Sauvignon from Howell Mountain fruit. The vines there are simply exceptional. So in the very capable hands of Duckhorn, the fruit in this 2018 shines. It’s all Cabernet with 8% Merlot added. There’s a lovely elegance to this wine, a steadiness that combines all the elements, oak, fruit, wood and tannin together. Not one element outperforms the other. The soft fruit includes noticeable black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, mocha, huckleberry and the ever-present but limited vanilla and caramel.

Another new wine.  There are so many.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, spice, slight lumber and some red fruits.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this drinks well.  Still youthful.  Cassis, black cherries and spice.  Nice finish.  This will continue to improve for a while. Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  A classic steak wine.  

This is the LVMH owned winery in China and this is its first vintage.  Expectations were low for this, but we need not have worried, this wine was quite good.  A bit different, but quite good.  It is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is lean but good.  Cassis, chocolate, slight tobacco, and a bit of green bell pepper.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is leaner but with some power.  Black cherries, cassis and smoke with underlying earthiness.  Nice finish.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  Good o

First time trying this winery.  The winemaker is Jeff Ames who makes some great wines at TOR and other wineries.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, chocolate, slight lumber and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis with some cedar and spice.  Tightly layered complexity, it unwinds nicely in the glass.  Long finish.  This will improve with a few years in the cellar but is drinking well now.  Drink over the next twenty years.  Great on its own, this needs big food right now.  Pot Roast would go well.  

Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, black cherries, spice, lumber, and slight cedar.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, nice cassis fruit with some char.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another seven to ten years.  A nice choice with a burger off the grill.  

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is  nice with cassis, cedar, camphor and leather.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, plenty of cassis with some char.  Lots of depth.  Complex if still tight.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue to for another ten to twelve years.  It might improve a bit more as it ages.  Nice on its own, this would work well with grilled meats.  

This was from the crazy hot, 2003 vintage. Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, tobacco, slight leather, damp earth and spice.  Full bodied.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is ripe but certainly not over ripe.  No prunes or raisins.  A really amazing Bordeaux that is just getting to maturity.  Loads of cassis with some spice and a bit of Bordeaux funk.  Long finish.  This should continue to drink well for another ten to fifteen years.  Nice on its own, but better with food.  This went well with roasted root vegetables and rice.  

This is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cassis, dust and slight dishwasher note (not pleasant).  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Much better on the palate.  Cassis with a fair amount of oak.  Moderate finish.  This drinks easy on its own and would be nice with a burger or plate of pasta.  Drink over the next few years.  

Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, cedar, blueberries, and spice.  Full bodied with medium tannins.  On the palate cassis with underlying spice and some cedar.  Nice finish.  Drinking well now and should continue for another seven to ten years.  A nice choice with a grilled burger.  

A lovely blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, and 15% Cabernet Franc, the grapes were grown in selected old vineyards from the Uco Valley. The 2017 offers black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, and raspberry notes, with back notes of pomegranate, tea leaf and rhubarb. The expressive fruit is mitigated by mellow acidity and tannic structure. Aged in French oak for 20 months, this wine is a reminder of the value and quality that Argentina as a whole delivers. ORIGIN: Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina. ALCOHOL: 14%