Score: |
93 ST. "Deep ruby. Lovely floral lift to the aromas of blackberry, minerals, graphite, bitter chocolate and licorice. Lush, broad and silky-smooth, with enticing sweetness and terrific verve to the black fruit flavors. Finishes very long, with serious tannic spine and subtle sweetness. This wine is built from the bottom up, beginning with the estate's merlot and cabernet franc, notes winemaker Nick Gislason. "The ranch is 60% cabernet sauvignon by acreage, so that leaves the question of what to do with the merlot and franc." Interestingly, estate manager Armand de Maigret noted that "so far we have been happier with our merlot on gravel, near the Silverado Trail, rather than on clay-rich soils toward the river."" Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/Jun 13 |