92-POINTS, GOLD MEDAL!
2021 CRITICS CHALLENGE WINE COMPETITION
I like the "lean into the red fruit side" of Alexander Valley fruit here, accentuated by a dash of vanilla and well-balanced oak spice. A Gold Award winner at the 2021 Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition.
92-POINTS July 6, 2021
OG N.49 2018 Alexander Valley Cabernet comes to us from an organically-farmed estate vineyard and winery on a steep alluvial fan in the southeast corner of Alexander Valley. Stylistically, I would classify this as fairly right-up-the-middle but with a bias towards elegance and purity of fruit over ripeness and extract. Its exquisitely-balanced and well-structured throughout with sappy, energetic fruit that resounds throughout the lithe finish. Beautiful stuff for sure and, of course given that it sell for well-over $50/bottle at the winery, a stunning value at $19/bottle. The 2017 bottling received 90pts from prominent critical journal and I think the 2018 is a better wine.
Tasting notes from final blend sample: Deep ruby in the glass, she opens up with rich panoply of dark fruits, sage florals and exotic spice. Plum, blueberry and blackberry are well-defined and pure with graphite, sage, black pepper and powdered purple flowers adding complexity. The fruit is energetic and fresh with well integrated tannins caressing the palate in a long, pristine finish featuring a lovely amalgam of blackberry and pepper spice. Delicious!
Check-in tasting 6.23.21 - This wine is drinking BEAUTIFULLY right now and should be your go to. Sexy aromatics translate on the palate. Plenty of structure left here but the fruit rides over the tannins with good energy.
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80% Cabernet, 14% Merlot, 4% Sauvignon Blanc, 1% Malbec, 1% Cab Franc. (producers blend)
100% Tight-grained French oak: just a kiss of new wood to preserve the pretty fruit and spice
14.5% alc.
Bottled August 25th, 2020
