2018 Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon

This site in Oakville has been firing on all cylinders recently, and the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch (100% Cabernet From the rockiest section in the vineyard) is just another example of the incredible quality from the vineyard. Inky purple, its stunning bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencil shaving, tobacco, and gravelly earth notes give way to a full-bodied, structured wine that reminds me a great vintage of Smith Haut Lafitte with its incredible earthy minerality as well as finesse and elegance. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for 20-30 years.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard is positively stunning. The wine's volume and breadth captures all of the pedigree of this site. Succulent black cherry, chocolate, licorice, menthol, savory herbs, leather and spice are some of the many notes that flesh out in the glass. The 2018 is rich, heady and exotically beautiful. There is so much to discover in this breathtakingly beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon. The old-school Cabernet aromatics and structure are superb. The Tor Vine Hill Ranch emerges from Block 7.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch comes from Block 7, which has 20-year-old vines and a gravelly soil type. It spent about three weeks on the skins during and after fermentation and was matured in small French oak barrels for 20 months. Deep garnet-purple in color, it opens with opulent scents of kirsch, black raspberries, black currant cordial and Black Forest cake with hints of dried mint, tilled soil and black truffles. Medium to full-bodied, the wine completely coats the mouth with red and black fruit preserves layers, supported by firm grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with a lively lift. 300 cases were made.