2008 Arnot-Roberts Cabernet Sauvignon Fellom Ranch

The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Fellom Ranch is a gorgeous wine laced with blackberries, roasted coffee beans, cassis, graphite, wild herbs and tobacco. The combination of medium-bodied structure with that inimitable California mid-palate sweetness and pliancy is fabulous. The wine continues to grow in the glass, as the fruit builds towards an explosive, utterly engaging finish. It is quite possible that the 2008 might continue to put on weight in the bottle, but even if it doesn’t, it is pretty spectacular. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2023. Arnot-Roberts is one of the most exciting young wineries in California, or anywhere for that matter. Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts have put together a compelling set of wines that highlight the personalities of some of the cooler-climate sites in Northern California. Most of the wines are made with a high percentage of whole clusters. Vinification takes place with native yeasts and bacteria, and the wines are bottled without fining or filtration. The latest addition to the lineup is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Fellom Ranch, a vineyard on the Montebello Ridge in the Santa Cruz mountains not too far from the parcels from which Ridge crafts their iconic Montebello. Readers who want to learn more about Arnot-Roberts may want to check out my video interview on www.erobertparker.com. Tel. (707) 820-1383; www.arnotroberts.com

Bright violet. Extremely primary nose displays black and blue fruit preserves, vanilla and flowers, along with notes of fresh bay and pipe tobacco. Juicy and strikingly pure, with sweet blackcurrant, cherry and boysenberry flavors firmed by a spine of zesty acidity. Shows impressive intensity on the finish, which leaves notes of juicy dark fruit and minerals behind.