2003 Vineyard 29 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
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Note di degustazione
(14.9% alcohol): Bright, dark red-ruby. Wonderfully complex, aromatic nose combines dark berries, flowers, Middle Eastern spices, brown sugar and a balsamic quality. At once refined and powerful, conveying terrific depth as well as lift to its perfumed flavors of black fruits, mountain sage and dried lavender. Finishes firmly tannic and long. Still a bit linear, this wine is likely to gain in breadth with further aging. Superb. This was the first year in which all of the equipment in Chuck McMinn's new high-tech winery was functional. Following sorting on a second table, winemaker Philippe Melka was able to vinify with 80% uncrushed berries as the fruit went into tank by gravity, without being pumped. This was also the first year that this wine was totally fermented in upright French oak tanks made by Radoux.
Punteggi della critica
Punteggio medio
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Altre recensioni e punteggi
The dark ruby/purple-tinged 2003 Vineyard 29 boasts a pure nose of creme de cassis, cedar and spice box. Full-bodied with velvety tannins, good minerality and a rich, stylish personality, this impeccably well-made 2003 has the potential for further evolution. While close to full maturity, it should have no problem evolving for another decade. Chuck and Anne McMinn’s hillside vineyard north of St. Helena has been on fire (figuratively) over the last decade and the quality of their wines has been impressive. Tel. (707) 963-9292; Fax (707) 963-7848
Good ruby-red. Superripe aromas of currant and oaky caramel. Supple, sweet and fresh, with rather suave flavors of currant and black raspberry. Nicely integrated acidity and a floral element add verve. The fine-grained, building tannins arrive late, allowing the flavors to expand and linger. This was the first year when Chuck McMinn's high-tech winery was fully operational, and winemaker Philippe Melka was able to vinify with 80% whole berries. The quality level here has reached a new standard with this vintage.
Good ruby-red. Blackberry, blueberry, black licorice and menthol on the vibrant nose. Pure flavors of black fruits and flowers. Harmonious, bright, delineated wine, in a Margaux-like style. In its inner-palate verve, this seems more typical than the 2002 of the Grace clone of cabernet planted on this hillside above Highway 29. The fine tannins go all the way back on the tongue. Consulting winemaker Melka did an intense green harvest here in 2003, removing underripe fruit virtually berry by berry.