2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Olmo
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Tasting notes
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Olmo of Davis had a research vineyard in the 1930s and 1940s on this land but this wine is not made from the same vines. Ripe, sweet fruit is redeemed by tarry minerals and a certain grittiness. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Impressive aromas of dried flowers, crushed blackberries and plums. Some sweet-tobacco undertones. Full-bodied, dusty and juicy with chewy tannins that are supple and savory, combining with the fruit. Flavorful and intense. So structured. Drink after 2023.
Lastly, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Olmo gets the nod as the most tannic and structured, with a brutally austere style that’s just begging for bottle age. Notes of lavender, iron, camphor, graphite, and bloody blue fruits all emerge from the glass. Possessing a Bordeaux-like purity and structure, medium to full body, ripe tannins, and a firm, tight, backward vibe, this is a beautiful wine, but only for those with patience. I wouldn’t think about opening bottle until at least 2026, and I suspect it will keep for 40-50 years.
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Olmo retains much of the youthful intensity and raw power it showed as a barrel sample. Savory herbs, gravel, game, wild cherry, leather, spice, menthol and dried flowers give the 2016 its distinctive aromatic signatures. Despite its mid-weight feel, the 2016 carries quite a bit of tannin and more than enough structure to age gracefully for many years to come.