2008 Sloan Estate
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Tasting notes
The 2008 Proprietary Red is beautiful and is just now starting to show some evolution. Coming from a dry growing season and very tiny berries, it has perfumed red and black fruits as well as ample tobacco smoke, black olive, iron, and baking spice-like aromatics. This full-bodied, deep, beautifully concentrated and elegant Cabernet Sauvignon has another 20-25 years of prime drinking ahead of it.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
A rich, maturing Napa cabernet sauvignon with rich redcurrant-jelly character and a lot of subtle notes, ranging from cedar to savory chocolate caramel. Then comes a much more serious structure on the palate than the nose suggested, the tannins firm but well integrated. Long finish with some mineral character. Drink or hold.
(14.8% alcohol): Bright medium ruby. Pure and high-pitched if reticent on the nose, offering aromas of blackberry, licorice, violet, menthol and sweet oak lifted by an element of dusty stone. Wonderfully suave, fine-grained and light on its feet, with a sexy oak element complementing the black raspberry, mineral and spice flavors. Very dense but not at all heavy, showing terrific floral energy and a light touch for this bottling, with no sign of dehydrated berries. The fruit still conveys a distinctly primary character but the wine's verve makes it delicious already--in fact, I'm tempted to say that anyone who doesn't love this is a spoilsport or a masochist. Wonderfully harmonious wine with the underlying spine to support a long evolution in bottle. The substantial dusty tannins show some obvious new oak.
About the producer
Sloan’s 13-acre estate vineyard, composed of mineral-rich, fractured volcanic rock and sandy loam, is located high in the eastern hills of Rutherford. Their inaugural vintage was 2000 and since it has grown a tremendous cult following for those lucky enough to get their hands on a few bottles.