Roth

On occasion, when tasting a wine, thoughts pop into my head that personify it. For example, with Grenache, I always think of a well-tanned, well-dressed suave character making rounds at a cocktail party. With this wine, visions of a Sumo Wrestler came to mind, his necessary fat jiggling over his girdle-like belt. It should come as no surprise that this wine is so potent and penetrating – it is a sibling of powerhouse Lancaster Estate. In fact, it comes from the same 60 acre parcel in the southeast corner of the Alexander Valley. It is a blend of 83% Cabernet and 17% Merlot from eight-year old vines, is aged in French oak for 21 months, and aged for an additional 10 months in bottle.

Bright and opaque purple with ruby at the edge, this wine is very viscous. First impressions are of fairly high alcohol and oak notes. Currant and cassis struggle to compete with the cedar, toast, char, and other barrel aromas. On the palate, the wine is fat, rich, and round, with noticeably low acidity. Opulent oak tannins provide support, reigning in somewhat the abundant, expansive fleshiness. Elusive notes of dark, brooding fruit come out on the finish.

Reviewed December 28, 2006 by Catherine Fallis.