| Score: |
93 RP.
"The 2014 Oliver’s Blend is largely Cabernet Sauvignon (93% with 7% Merlot) aged in nearly three-fourths French oak for 18 months prior to being bottled. Loads of earthy, loamy soil notes intermixed with underbrush, blackcurrants, black cherries, tapenade and some subtle oak are present in this dense purple, full-bodied, muscular style of wine. Like most 2014s, it is already showing plenty of deliciousness and should continue to do so . . . . The impressive 28-acre amphitheater Skipstone Estate Vineyard sits between two hillsides in the Alexander Valley. I’ve noticed over the past 10 to 15 years how the quality of Alexander Valley Bordeaux blends has jumped impressively. This is just one more example of high-quality wines that are made from Bordeaux varietals produced, not in Napa Valley, but in Alexander Valley." Wine Advocate #227, Oct 2016 |