"Striking opaque purple color, and a stunning nose of cherry liqueur intertwined with prunes, black currants, coffee, smoke, and blackberries." – Erin Green, Winemaker 2001
Composition
69% Cabernet Sauvignon
27% Merlot
2% Cabernet Franc
1% Petit Verdot
1% Malbec
Vineyards
- Martinelli,
- Thorevilos,
- Rancho Chimiles,
- Moon Vineyard
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Critics
94 Points
James Laube, Wine Spectator, November 2002
Ultra-ripe, pushing it to the max. Rich mocha-laced black cherry and blackberry fruit. Hints of milk chocolate, herb and currant. Finishes with smooth, plush tannins and excellent length and complexity.
94 Points
Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, May/June 2002
Bright, full medium ruby. Subdued but highly complex nose melds black raspberry, blueberry, plum, licorice, mocha, leather and tar. Offers compelling sweetness and density, with sharply focused flavors of black fruits, minerals and roast coffee, but comes across as less expressive today than the merlot, and still tight on the back half. But a wine of outstanding breadth and persistence, deeper and sweeter than the 2000. Tannins are substantial but quite fine.
90 Points
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #142, August 2002
A dense purple color accompanies its sweet nose of crème de cassis intermixed with smoky, toasty oak, tar and earth. While it leans toward a more austere, Bordeaux-like style, it possesses more glycerin, alcohol and depth than most ripe Bordeaux. The finish exhibits chocolate and black currant flavors, plenty of sweetness, and austere tannin. Drink it over the next 14-15 years.
Winemaking
- Winemaker:
- Erin Green
- Alcohol:
- 14.0%
- Released:
- October 1, 2002
Harvested at the end of October, this wine was aged in 100% new French oak barrels for 18 months.
