2016 Reserve Speciale Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting notes
From a great vintage for the entire North Coast, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale is all varietal that was brought up in a mix of new and used barrels. Lots of sweet cassis, candied violets, vanilla oak, and lead pencil notes define the nose, and it actually reminds me of a wine from Ridge with its focused, mineral-laced, well-oaked style. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it has plenty of tannins, beautiful purity, and outstanding length. It needs plenty of air to show at its best today and will be best with 2-4 years of bottle age. It should have 20+ years of overall longevity.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Réserve Spéciale is a dark, brooding wine. Gravel, smoke, black cherry, lavender, licorice, spice and menthol infuse the 2016 with notable darkness and power. This dense, muscular wine needs a bit of time for the tannins to soften, but it is impeccably done.
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Réserve Spéciale is a stunner! It was aged 32 months in 62% new oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered. It has a deep ruby color and is youthfully slow to open, unwinding to kirsch, crushed blackcurrants, blueberries, cedar, cigar box and iron layered with accents of grilled meats, rosewater perfume, dried herbs and classy new oak spice. Medium to full-bodied, it's silky in the mouth, slowly unfolding to mineral-laced fruits, with a chalky frame and great freshness, finishing very long. This should be very long lived. 643 cases produced.