2019 Seven Apart Cabernet Sauvignon Summit
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Tasting notes
There are just four barrels of the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Summit, available only to select mailing-list members. A best-barrels selection by consulting winemaker Andy Erickson, this stunning wine offers up a mix of red and black berries—cassis and red raspberries—framed by cedar shavings and vanilla. Matured 22 months in 100% new French oak, it's full-bodied and intense but offers a touch more elegance than the Basalt, as well as greater complexity and length. Have I underrated it?
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
If you can believe it, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Summit is even better and can be thought of as a hypothetical blend of the Shale and Basalt releases, with the elegance of the Shale and the power of the Basalt. Lots of cassis, raspberries, iron, savory herbs, and lead pencil notes emerge on the nose, and this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, and enough building tannins to warrant 3-5 years of bottle age. This lengthy, insanely good 2019 will have 20-25+ years of longevity.
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Summit is once again the most opulent of these wines. It doesn't come across as that meaningfully different from the Basalt Cabernet, except that the balance is better here. Blackberry jam, spice, licorice, graphite and cured meats build into the imposing, virile finish. Give this a few years to soften.