2012 Relic Artefact

(cabernet sauvignon with 3% petit verdot): Deep red-ruby. Distinctly more closed and medicinal on the nose than the Relic. Surprisingly sweet and suave on entry, but the dark berry and cedar flavors are cut off by big, rather rough tannins that spread out to saturate the entire palate and teeth. This will need some refining between now and the time it goes into bottle.

Author: Stephen Tanzer

Issue: May/June 2014