2016 Cariad Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon (approx 50%), Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot. Backbone from bought-in fruit from Madrone Ranch. Richer soils than Tychson Hill with smaller particles. Quite a slope. Merlot unusual but it adds perfume and silkiness. Hillside Cabernet vines are 35 years old. Lower area is 20 years. 3.5 ha. Very deep crimson/purple. Not as aromatic as the Tychson Hill. Very sweet and polished. Less refreshing than Tychson Hill. Slightly more like a liqueur than a wine. Merlot infuses the whole with blackberry fruit. Cold tea leaves on the end.

Amazing aromas of dark fruit and sweet, subtle tobacco. Complex. Multidimensional. Hypnotic. Full-bodied, very plush and rich on the palate with layers of fruit and tannins. Yet, it remains cool.

Coming from the Madrona Ranch and a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot, the 2016 Cariad is a more powerful, concentrated, burly effort that has a massive amount of black and blue fruits, charcoal, savory herbs, and graphite-like aromas and flavors. This beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, loads of tannins, a deep, stacked mid-palate, and a huge finish. Where the Tychson Hill is power married to elegance, this beauty is more power and structure. It needs at least a decade of cellaring.