2023 Benom Origin
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Tasting notes
The 2023 Origin, a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, blossoms in the glass with a radiant blend of pepper-tinged black currants, rosemary and stone dust. It is savory and youthfully dense, with silky textures and masses of dark red and black fruits that saturate the senses. A web of fine-grained tannins lingers on the palate, and the 2023 finishes youthfully poised, long and staining. Patience is required.
Critic scores
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Jeb Dunnuck
Eric Guido, Vinous
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Sourced from the Gateway and Parish vineyards, the 2023 Origin shows a great Cabernet nose of currants, sappy spring flowers, graphite, and minerality. Medium to full-bodied, it has a pure, focused, elegant mouthfeel with ripe tannins. Reminding me of a great Saint-Julien with its classic Cabernet character, it will need 2-3 years of bottle age but is a gem of a wine. I always love these wines from the Fabre brothers Arnaud and Guillaume. Their Benom releases pull primarily from Paso Robles (Willow Creek and Adelaida) with additional fruit from the San Luis Obispo Coast and Edna Valley. The lineup includes one white, Contrast, a Chardonnay-based blend with a splash of Sauvignon Blanc raised in a mix of neutral and new French oak and concrete, and a range of reds: Origin is pure Cabernet Sauvignon, Les Deux Frères is Grenache-driven with Cabernet Sauvignon and a touch of Syrah, Lapsus is close to an even split of Graciano, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Mourvèdre, Muze is Mourvèdre dominant with Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, Hoc is led by Carignan with Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, and Reflet is nearly an even split of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Most spend about 18 months in French oak with varying percentages of new wood, and components for some wines see neutral oak or concrete. The wines are impeccably made and age-worthy.