2012 Gemstone Red
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Tasting notes
The 2012 Estate Red Wine is quite pretty. Dark red cherry, plum, spice and flowers abound in a supple, silky Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend to drink now and over the next few years. Today, the Red Wine is a bit closed in on itself, with less mid-palate pliancy than it showed last year, but my sense is that the wine hasn't yet fully recovered from its bottling over the summer. This attractive, approachable wine is a very good example of the year.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A 2,000-case blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2012 Estate Red Wine was aged 20 months in 68% new French oak. It offers sweet black cherry and blackcurrant fruit intermixed with aromas of unsmoked cigar tobacco, licorice, Christmas fruitcake and earth. This elegant, medium to full-bodied, rich wine should drink well for 12-15+ years.
(a blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 6% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot): Bright ruby. Much more vibrant on the nose than the 2011, offering scents of blueberry, blackberry, menthol and minerals lifted by notes of violet and crushed rock. Densely packed and fine-grained, offering lovely inner-mouth perfume to the sharply focused dark berry and mineral flavors. Finishes savory, firm and long, with impressive fruit intensity.
The 2012 Red Wine is beautifully expressive and layered. Pine, menthol and dark raspberries all burst from the glass. The richness and pedigree of the vintage come through in spades in a generous, inviting wine loaded with class and personality. Rich, voluptuous and textured, the 2012 boasts marvelous depth and an explosive personality that is going to be hard to resist. The blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot.