2010 Outpost Cabernet Sauvignon True Vineyard

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon True Vineyard has a bit more depth and power than the straight Howell Mountain bottling, yet at the same time, it remains medium in body and less explosive than Outpost fans are used to. Scents of violets, menthol and melted road swirl around in the glass, adding complexity and nuance to the dark fruit. An inward wine, the 2010 needs at least a few years in bottle to fully come together.

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon True Vineyard has a bit more depth and power than the straight Howell Mountain bottling, yet at the same time, it remains medium in body and less explosive than Outpost fans are used to. Scents of violets, menthol and melted road swirl around in the glass, adding complexity and nuance to the dark fruit. An inward wine, the 2010 needs at least a few years in bottle to fully come together. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. Proprietors Frank and Kathy Dotzler, along with their winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown, don’t miss a beat. There is no shortage of compelling wines among these new and upcoming releases. Readers who want to taste some of the greatest expressions of the 2011 vintage should head straight to Outpost. The 2011s, from a late, cold harvest that stretched into November, are compelling. But the truth is that all of these wines merit serious consideration and a much wider audience. Tel. (707) 965-1718

Good medium ruby. Wonderful aromatic breadth on the rather wild nose, offering elements of dark berries, minerals, coffee, sage and underbrush. Then lush, suave and pure but not at all overly sweet on the palate, with the wine's very firm shell of tannins keeping the fruit under wraps today. Rather unforthcoming today but already boasts an uncommonly spherical texture and finishes very long and vibrant. This makes the estate's regular cabernet come off as chunky by comparison--and it's not! In recent years, this wine has shown as much personality as many of Napa Valley's cult cabernets, and at a fraction of the price.