2015 Vine Hill Ranch VHR Cabernet Sauvignon

Owner Bruce Phillips: ‘We were really worried about heat at harvest at the time. And elsewhere some vines shut down. But this is a vintage that has always surprised me’. Very dark purplish crimson. Balsam note with some oyster-shell character. Big and bold with some inkiness of texture. Lots of acidity and lots to chew on. Still quite youthful. (JR)

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is very much closed in on itself. That won't be a problem in another few years' time, but readers should not be thinking about opening a bottle any time soon. This opulent, textured VHR needs time to shed some of its baby fat. The tannins are a bit severe, reminders of a punishing growing season marked by drought and intense heat spikes towards the end of the year. It will be interesting to see how the 2015 develops. My impression is that it will always carry the signatures of the challenging conditions of that year, especially in its tannin profile.

From bottles purchased at retail, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon VHR is one seamless, exotic beauty that gives up a lifted perfume of blackberries, candied cherries, and cassis-like fruit as well as background cedar, tobacco, lead pencil, and violet nuances. Already complex, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness as well as sweet tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. This opulent, powerful 2015 needs plenty of air to show at its best today, and I suspect another 2-4 years of bottle age should put it in a sweet spot. It's going to drink well for two decades.