2018 State Lane Vineyard Grand Vin Cabernet Sauvignon

Only the second time it's been 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin sports a deep purple color as well as a Latour-like bouquet of crème de cassis, scorched earth, violets, graphite, camphor, and lead pencil. Rich, powerful and concentrated, with incredible elegance and purity as well as building structure, this magical effort needs 7-8 years of bottle age and will live for 50 years or more.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin more than lives up to its name. In fact, the 2018 might very well be the single most elegant wine I have ever tasted at Kapcsándy. Silky, pliant and beautifully nuanced, the 2018 hits all the right notes. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal, cinnamon and spice all open in the glass, with bright blood orange notes that add vibrancy. Here, too, the tannins are perfectly ripe and silky.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon again this year. "Now that the vineyard has matured, the Cabernet vines give us full, complete wines," Kapcsandy's consulting winemaker, Tony Arcudi, said. The wine was aged in French oak, 90% new. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose needs a little coaxing to release scents of fresh black and red currant, blackberries and kirsch with touches of unsmoked cigars, cedar chest and violets, plus a waft of chocolate mint. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house with super firm, super ripe tannins and amazing freshness supporting the packed-in layers of black and red fruits, finishing long and earthy/savory. Yep, nailed it. 400 cases were made.