2007 Lindstrom Cabernet Sauvignon
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Like any new winery, this is a work in progress, and the 2008 shows slightly better than the 2007 - but don't dismiss the 2007. Loads of black cherry, black currant, licorice, and spring flowers are present in this mid-weight, elegant, stylish wine, which offers up sweet tannin in a nice framework, with a well-balanced mouthfeel. It should drink nicely for 10-15 years. Another relatively new operation owned by the Lindstrom family, the vineyard is a hilltop 20-acre parcel near Stags Leap Wine Cellars. As one might expect, these are very elegant wines. Production levels are just under 500 cases, and the wines are aged 21 months in mostly new French oak. Tel. (707) 226-6289; www.lindstromwines.com
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Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
(from a steep, rocky site behind Stelzner Vineyards that winemaker Celia Welch describes as atypical for its appellation) Good saturated, bright ruby. Slightly medicinal aromas of blackberry, blueberry, mint and minerals. Silky on entry, then tighter but still pliant in the middle, with the black and blue fruit and mint flavors carrying through. Shows some Stags Leap dark chocolate character but this is distinctly more rocky and minerally than earthy in character. I like this firmly tannic cabernet's restrained sweetness, but it calls for at least a few years of cellaring.
Bright medium ruby. Crushed cassis, blueberry and violet on the slightly high-toned nose. Urgent crushed berry flavors are kept tight today by firm acidity and a minty nuance. Distinctly more austere than the 2007 but there's more material here for aging. Finishes with firm tannic grip. Celia Masyczek has made these wines since 2005.