2005 Thorevilos

Although it’s not entitled to any specific AVA, the 2005 Proprietary Red Thorevilos is largely two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc with some Petit Verdot and a touch of Merlot. Extraordinary aromatics consisting of blueberry liqueur, white flowers, licorice, spice and incense are all present in this profound, multi-layered, full-bodied wine with remarkable purity and precision. It is multidimensional, staggeringly rich and complex, and has at least another 20-30 years. This is one brilliant example of what viticulture, winemaking and terroir can do in the Shangri-La called Napa Valley. Drink it over the next 30 years.

The 2005 Thorevilos comes close to perfection, a beautifully ripe, weighty, but with a European, almost Bordeaux-like structural profile. The sensational nose of acacia flowers intermixed with blueberry liqueur, blackberries, espresso roast, and crushed rock is provocative and intense. The wine is very full-bodied, has a terrific, layered mouthfeel, sensational equilibrium for a wine of such massive concentration, and a staggering finish. This is about as extraordinary a glass of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon as one could hope to find. Drink it over the next 25+ years. (Not yet released) This is a terrific place to taste wine with David Abreu and his assistant, Brad Grimes. Finally some new vineyards are coming into production, including the Cappella, which I talked about last year as a tightly spaced vineyard on the back streets of St. Helena, and his 12-acre vineyard on Howell Mountain planted in very red soils. Abreu is, of course, an uncompromising viticulturalist and manages some of the finest vineyards in Napa with his viticultural company. A connoisseur of Bordeaux, he has tried to recapture the complexity of a great Bordeaux wedded to the extraordinary purity and ripeness of fruit that Napa can achieve so frequently. There are approximately 280 cases of the Cabernet Sauvignon Madrona Ranch, a wine that comes from the lower hillsides of Spring Mountain, just northwest of St. Helena. Lastly, there are close to 250 cases of what could well be his finest wine, the Cabernet Sauvignon that comes from the Thorevilos Vineyard that Abreu planted in partnership with Ric Forman. This is usually a blend of about 80-85% Cabernet Sauvignon with the rest Cabernet Franc and a touch of Petit Verdot. One sees the style of the three vintages of Abreu vividly displayed in the Thorevilos cuvees, Fax (707) 963-5104

The 2005 Thorevilos comes close to perfection, a beautifully ripe, weighty, but with a European, almost Bordeaux-like structural profile. The sensational nose of acacia flowers intermixed with blueberry liqueur, blackberries, espresso roast, and crushed rock is provocative and intense. The wine is very full-bodied, has a terrific, layered mouthfeel, sensational equilibrium for a wine of such massive concentration, and a staggering finish. This is about as extraordinary a glass of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon as one could hope to find. Drink it over the next 25+ years. Dec 2008, www.robertparker.com