2014 Anderson's Conn Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve
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This is the best showing yet for the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve. Tightly wound and powerful, the 2014 packs a serious punch. Big, deeply sketched dark flavors and potent tannins give the 2014 much of its personality. Over the last few years, the 2014 has come together nicely. The 2014 is still finding itself and carries some of the stress of accumulated drought. Even so, it has terrific potential.
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Robert Parker
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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The flagship wine is the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve, coming from their vineyards tucked away in the under-the-radar sector known as Conn Valley. It is a beautiful example of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Dense purple with a gorgeous, young, but promising nose of blackberry and cassis, licorice, forest floor and earth, the wine hits the palate with a supple, ripe integrated tannic framework, intense black fruits, full body and a long finish. This is a stunner and another great example from Todd Anderson’s vineyard that first produced Cabernet Sauvignon in 1987 and is coming up on its 30th anniversary next year. This wine, given the track record of Anderson Conn Valley wines to age, has a good 25-30 years of life in it, although it is certainly approachable already because of the characteristics of 2014.
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve is a sort of hybrid of the 2012 and 2013. Dark, ample and generous, especially for the year, the 2014 is quite expressive today. Black cherry, plum, menthol, new leather and cedar wrap around the fleshy, voluptuous finish. The stress of the drought vintage comes through in the slightly mature flavors, but all the elements are nicely balanced here.