KLIPSUN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018 750ML

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon comes all from the Klipsun Vineyard on Red Mountain and is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, and 4% Syrah that spent 20 months in new French oak. There are a little over 2,000 cases produced, and it sports a healthy purple/ruby hue to go with a killer bouquet of pure crème de cassis, lead pencil, tobacco leaf, chocolate, and hints of iron. Beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has great tannins, impeccable balance, and a great finish. It needs to be forgotten for 2-4 years and will cruise for two decades after that from cold cellars.

Instantly impressive in the glass….Fresh, dark, juicy berry notions waft with a firm, generous nature with soft elements of black peppercorn and roasted plums. Full-bodied and with a complex, generous structure, the palette displays impeccable flavors of spiced plum compote, black cherry skin, blackberry jus and elements of crème de cassis and dried violets. The mid-palate gives way to a firm tannic structure that will need additional time in the bottle to settle but already shows great aging potential. Concluding with a long, lingering and evolving finish, persistent flavors of fresh, ripe blackberries remain on the palate with flavors of oak and maple with a subtle element of dried sage.

Brooding and deeply structured, with broad blackberry, espresso and dusty herb flavors that gather tension toward broad-shouldered tannins. Best from 2023 through 2032. 575 cases made.

Rich and firm, with good grip, the heady 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is a sensational effort from this storied site on Red Mountain. Copious dark fruits frame this beautiful wine, which shows scorched earth, tobacco leaf and tar underpinnings. Quite tannic and dense, this is already nicely evolved and will cellar well over the next 15-20 years. Give it an hour's decant if enjoying now.

Fruit for this wine comes from one of the appellation's oldest and most venerated vineyards. The aromas of dark roasted coffee bean, black cherry, licorice and dried herbs draw you in. Velvety, juicy cherry flavors follow. It's a hammer in a velvet glove, a wine that wins on nuance and grace but with plenty of power behind it. Undeniable in appeal now, this is really meant for the cellar.