2014 Illustration
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Tasting notes
The 2014 Illustration is soft, open-knit and pliant, with more than enough mid-palate depth to drink well with minimal cellaring. Sweet red cherry, plum, tobacco and spice lead into the fleshy, inviting finish.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A blend of 65% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot is the 2014 Proprietary Red Illustration. Like it siblings, this is aged 17 months in French cooperage, of which about half is new. This is a beauty – Old World meets New World so to speak – with good tannin structure and acidity, but terrific ripe fruit of crème de cassis, black chocolate intermixed with licorice and espresso bean. This is a full-bodied, juicy, opulent style of wine to drink over the next 15 or so years.