2011 Pulido-Walker Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Pulido-Walker's 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard shows just how successful wines from Pritchard Hill can be in this vintage. Sweet tobacco, cedar, smoke and incense have developed over time, adding lovely dimensions of complexity. The 2011 appears to be on a relatively fast aging curve, which, along with its mid-weight structure, makes me think it is best enjoyed over the next handful of years. All things considered, though, this is a strong showing.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard (a site on the glamorous Pritchard Hill) is one of the strongest efforts I have tasted from that vintage. Attractive notes of black raspberries and blueberries intermixed with a background hint of oak are followed by a wine with a creamy, medium to full-bodied texture that cuts a savory, evolved, delicious swath across the palate. It can be drunk now and over the next decade.
The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard is laced throughout with expressive floral notes. Today, the 2011 is a bit more polished and finessed than the 2010, although it lacks that wine's depth. In time, it could very well turn out to have better balance than its older sibling. I am drawn by the wine's pure energy and focus.