2017 The Ultimate
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Tasting notes
A blend of all the single vineyards, the 2017 The Ultimate Debate checks in at the top of the heap, although not by much. This incredibly full-bodied, powerful, opulent beauty boasts a saturated purple hue as well as complex notes of cigar wrapper, toasted bread, licorice, graphite, and cassis. Never putting a foot wrong, with flawless balance, a deep, multi-dimensional texture, and a great finish, it’s released only in magnums and is going to be long-lived. Give bottles 4-5 years and enjoy over the following 30+.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
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The 2017 The Ultimate is only available in magnums. It is a barrel-select blend encompassing all The Debate’s single vineyards of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Very deep purple-black, it leaps from the glass with exuberant black and red fruits—black raspberries, black currant cordial, boysenberries and red currants—plus suggestions of cinnamon stick, Marmite toast, candied violets and dark chocolate with a waft of camphor. Full-bodied, densely packed and laden with dark fruit, it has a solid line of firm, ripe tannins and seamless acidity, finishing with a fireworks display of all those bright, refreshing red fruits.