Tasting Notes
Vinous 94
(15.9% alcohol): Bright red-ruby. Very ripe aromas of chocolate, saddle leather, cigar tobacco, earth, truffle and tomato. Fat and warm but with a solid mineral underpinning to the flavors of plum, mocha and spices. Large-scaled, plush and seamless but not heavy, this deep wine finishes with substantial dusty tannins. For all its ripeness, there’s sound acidity here. Still, this huge wine would be best paired with winter fare. The brooding finish features lingering notes of cherry and cooked meat and building tannins.
Anticipated maturity: 2016-2023
Robert Parker 100
This fabulous wine from the eastern hillsides of northern Napa Valley, not far from the Eisele Vineyard, boasts an inky/blue/purple color as well as an extraordinary perfume of mulberries, black cherries, cassis, graphite, forest floor and charcoal, an astonishing texture, a full-bodied opulence and extraordinary richness and length. It is a modern day legend that tastes even younger than it did 7-10 years ago. These wines have an amazing ability to firm up and become even richer and more complex, which is exactly what great winemaking and terroir can do. Kudos to Jason Woodbridge for another sensational wine. For those concerned about alcohol, the label shows 15.9%, but there is not a trace of warmth in this beauty. It will last for at least another 20-25 years, perhaps longer.
Anticipated maturity: 2012-2027
