2016 Chateau Boswell RTB
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Tasting notes
In the same league, the 2016 RTB Red Wine is a blend of 50% To Kalon (clone 337), 40% Pritchard Hill Cabernet Franc, and 10% Petit Verdot. As with the To Kalon release, it spent 18 months in 70% new French oak. Crème de cassis, blackcurrants, licorice, graphite, damp earth, and beautiful Cabernet Franc earthiness all give way to an inky, full-bodied, powerful 2016 red that does everything right. It’s more backward and reserved, yet has thrilling purity, plenty of structure, and obvious minerality on the finish. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and drink it over the following two decades.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2016 RTB Proprietary Red Blend is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon from To Kalon vineyard, 40% Cabernet Franc from Pritchard Hill and 10% Petit Verdot from a vineyard on Pritchard Hill owned by the Martinez family, aged for 18 months in 70% new French oak. Very deep purple-black in color, it has a wonderfully complex nose of black cherries, blackberry pie and wild blueberries with red currants and violets accents plus touches of menthol and cigar boxes. Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and wonderfully structured, the firm, ripe frame carries the wonderfully pure, delineated fruit to a very long finish. 254 cases produced.
The 2016 RTB Red Wine is powerful and explosive. An infusion of blackberry jam, crème de cassis, lavender and exotic spice, along with the wine's structure, give the 2016 a palpable feeling of gravitas. The firm tannins are going to require some bottle age to settle down. This is another fine effort from Susan Boswell and Philippe Melka.
A barrel sample produced from 50% Cabernet Sauvignon (Beckstoffer To Kalon), 40% Cabernet Franc (Pritchard Hill) and 10% Petit Verdot (Martinez), the 2016 RTB Proprietary Red Blend has a very deep purple-black color and rock star nose of exotic spice-laced black berry compote and blueberry coulis with hints of red currant jelly, bouquet garni and mossy bark. Medium to full-bodied with a solid structure of grainy tannins and seamless freshness, it has a taut core of muscular, youthful fruit with an herbal lift emerging on the finish. 250 cases are expected to be produced.