2011 Contrarian Red Blend
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
(43% cabernet franc, 29% cabernet sauvignon and 28% merlot): Bright dark red. Discreet aromas of plum, redcurrant, licorice and spicecake. Then dense and plush but shapely and penetrating too, with a creaminess of texture enlivened by well-judged oakiness and harmonious acidity. This very sexy wine finishes with noble tannins for the vintage and excellent length. A beautiful showing. And my sample held up well for days in the recorked bottle.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2011 Contrarian is the most vibrant and powerful of these reds from Blackbird. Violets, cloves, menthol, tar and licorice burst from the glass in a firm Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine loaded with personality and class. Here, too, the wine's balance is impeccable. The 2011 is mostly Cabernet Franc from Stagecoach, with dollops of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon mostly from Stagecoach and Crocker Starr respectively.
The 2011 Proprietary Red Contrarian is composed of 43% Cabernet Franc, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot. It offers up aromas of bay leaf, bouquet garni, spice, earth and dark fruits. A smaller-scaled, more monolithic and foursquare wine than the 2010, this is a wine to drink over the next 5-6 years. 2011 was, of course, a much more challenging vintage, and these cuvees have slightly lower alcohols than in 2010. Tel. (707) 252-4444