2019 To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is another incredibly brilliant wine from this estate that's up with the greatest wines in the vintage (and the world). From a tiny parcel of very old vines in the To Kalon Vineyard, it reveals a semi-opaque deep purple color to go with an incredible nose of crème de cassis, black olive, iron, tobacco, and lead pencil. As textbook Oakville as it gets with its darker, herbal, yet powerful style, it's medium to full-bodied and has a wonderful sense of elegance and purity, silky tannins, and a great, great finish. It certainly offers incredible pleasure today, as do most 2019s, yet it deserves 4-6 years of bottle age and I suspect will be 30+ year wine. If you get a chance to buy this, do it.

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerhouse wine in line with years like 2013 and 2016, but with a bit more plushness in the mid-palate fruit. The aromatics alone are just mesmerizing. Veins of supporting tannin convey freshness and energy throughout. This is such a riveting and promising wine. (AG)

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon marries power, sensuality and energy, with striking aromatic presence and a good deal of tension. Sweet dark cherry, raspberry jam, spice and blood orange are laced throughout this wonderfully expressive, exotic Cabernet Sauvignon. Graeme MacDonald explains that the 2019 has lower acidity than the 2018 but is also the product of lower juice yields. Aside from the technical details, I can report that this barrel sample just got better and better over several days I followed it.