2013 Vecina Cabernet Sauvignon

Dark ruby. Seriously ripe, liqueur-like scents of cassis, boysenberry, kirsch and bitter chocolate. Plush, superripe and powerful; even a bit port-like in its chewiness and impression of slightly elevated alcohol. A bit overbearing in its infantile state but this hugely rich, very tannic wine will need another decade of aging before it approaches maturity and will probably eventually merit a higher score.

A veritable explosion of aromas, flavors and textures emerges from the 2013 Vecina. Rich, explosive and intense, the 2013 is a head-turning wine endowed with magnificent richness, power and unctuosity. Dark red cherry, smoke, licorice, scorched earth and game are some of the signatures in this regal, towering Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a tremendous expression of Vine Hill Ranch, one of the very best sites in all of Napa Valley.

The perfect 2013 Vecina offers up notes of pen ink, scorched earth, espresso, blackcurrant liqueur and blackberries. It is a fabulously great wine, with supple, well-integrated tannin, decent acidity, and a skyscraper-like mouthfeel, with extraordinary purity and richness. This is an amazing wine to drink over the next 50 years, although I would probably suggest cellaring for five or more at present.