2013 L'Ecole No 41 Ferguson Vineyard
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Tasting notes
56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec. A mix of black plum and lightly candied plum lifts from the glass, moving into a palate that is denser, darker and more brooding compared with the 2011 and 2012 vintages. Tannin is impressively fine-grained and persistent, with mouth-watering, lengthy acidity in good balance to the overall flesh and structure of the wine. There is plenty of black fruit and overall fruit expression here, but the tobacco notes and graphite character keep the palate fresh and focused on complexity and depth. Nice balance on a riper year. Plenty of concentration. (ECB)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
(from vines planted in 2008; Marty Clubb just planted another 12 acres at Ferguson this spring, including his first vines of Petit Verdot, with another 12 acres set to be planted next spring): Bright ruby-red. Penetrating basalt minerality on the nose, with black raspberry, crushed rock and espresso notes conveying an impression of iodiney salinity (the basalt here degrades into iron-rich red clay, according to Clubb). Superb fine-grained wine with terrific intensity and inner-mouth aromatic lift to its crushed blackberry and mineral flavors. Boasts a terrific acid profile despite the young age of the vines. Very long on the aftertaste; the tannins are substantial without being tough or dry. Really remarkable wine from young vines.
Another head turner from this estate is the inky colored 2013 Ferguson, which comes from their newest estate vineyard. Made from 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and the rest Malbec, it spent 22 months in 50% new French oak before bottling. Rich, structured, tannic and full-bodied, and needing to be hidden in the cellaring for 4-5 years, it offers beautiful minerality in its dark fruits, spice-box, dried herbs, and dried earth aromas and flavors. I consistently find this cuvee at the top of the lineup, and it’s no exception in 2013. It will have two decades of longevity.