| Score: |
98 RP.
"An effort that I was thrilled to taste, as it borders on perfection, is the 2013 Cabernet Franc 29 Estate, a blend of 95% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in three-fourths new French oak. This wine has surreal aromatics of spring flowers, mulberry, blueberry, raspberry and other black fruits, a continuing floral character in the flavors, superb brightness, medium body and magnificent intensity. But again, the magic of Cabernet Franc is its rather delicate and ethereal dance across the palate without any sense of heaviness or astringency. This wine hits all the sweet spots on the palate and has no hard edges. Its should drink beautifully for another 10-15 years and possibly a lot longer. Talking to proprietor Chuck McMinn on the eve of the 2015 harvest, he said this year’s harvest was even earlier than 2014, and that was the earliest ever! This magnificent estate just north of St. Helena on Highway 29 continues to turn out an array of enticing wines, including a limited-production, super-expensive, but brilliant Sauvignon Blanc." Wine Advocate #221, Oct 2015 |