2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is a challenging wine. While it shows impressive depth and concentration, strong smoke flavors and harsh tannins are the signs of a wine compromised by smoke taint. John and Alex Kongsgaard were draconian with what they chose to bottle in 2018, eliminating all of the wine from their estate and focusing only on the wine they made from their neighbor's property. Sadly, I fear that was not enough.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is bold, pungent and savory. Black olives, grilled herbs, blackberry jam, cloves, iron and leather as well as intense barbeque smoke give the broad 2018 a wild, really exotic character. If I had tasted it blind, I would have pegged it as Syrah. The is an undeniably wild and unusual wine; I am not really sure what to make of it at this stage. It is also a rare vintage that is pure 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

A barrel sample, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon features a deep garnet-purple, singing on the nose of freshly crushed black cherries, black berry pie and warm plums over a core of cassis and pencil lead plus nuances of violets, cinnamon stick and underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating, crunchy black fruit with a firm backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy.