2005 Cabernet Sauvignon St Helena
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Tasting notes
(14.8% alcohol): Deep red. Aromas of medicinal blackberry, mocha, spices, coffee and menthol; combines an element of exotic fruits with a greenness that I did not find in the 2004. Racy acidity gives this savory wine a rather imploded quality, even a leanness, leaving the firm tannins a bit more exposed. The element of wild herbs carries through the middle palate and aftertaste. This is still fresh but will it ever really unfold in the bottle? I recall Ric Forman telling me shortly after this wine was released that he was unable to allow the fruit to hang on the vines as long as he would have liked because the grapes were starting to shrivel.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot aged 24 months in three-fourths new French oak, it tips the scales at 14.8%, which by Ric Forman’s standards seems somewhat higher than usual. This delicious, savory, elegant wine is restrained and understated, but authoritative, which is what he does so well. It is the result of forty-plus years of winemaking experience, probably matched today only by Sonoma’s Dick Arrowood. It has a youthful, dense ruby/purple color, beautiful texture and purity, with nothing out of place. It is a seamless, medium to full-bodied Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that represents the best synthesis of ripe Napa fruit, with a French touch of finesse and elegance. This wine has at least another 10-15 years of aging potential, as it is very long, and the wine is impressive, lovingly textured and rich. Drink it over the next 15-20 years.
Very bright, sweet, well mannered, very arrow-straight typical Napa Cab but a little bit too sweet for a European palate? (JR)