2021 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus (92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot) is deep purple-hued, with a sensational bouquet of black and blue fruits intermixed with scorched earth, spring flowers, graphite, and lead pencil. A powerful red with a Latour-like stature, a dense mid-palate, massive structure, and a great, great finish, this is one of the all-time greats of this cuvée. It will need a decade of bottle age and be a 50-year wine.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard soars from the glass with exotic dark fruit, spice, leather, cedar, tobacco and incense, showing all the signatures of eastern Oakville in its structure and overall poise. There's a bit stronger French oak impact than in some of the other wines, but it all works well. Even so, I think there is quite a bit of untapped potential here.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is more masculine and powerful, with ample black cherry, blueberry, crushed stone, creosote, and gravelly earth notes to go with a tannic, concentrated style on the palate. It's focused, has beautiful mid-palate depth, building tannins, and a great finish. It's not for the early gratification crowd, but it s incredible stuff.