2016 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon

There’s a very attractive plum and spice feel to the nose with a wealth of ripe dark berries and a thread of chocolate on offer here, as well as hints of spice. Ripe, thicker-grained tannins. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Merlot. Drink or hold.

Deep purple-colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon offers a beautiful bouquet of crème de cassis, graphite, and spicy wood that develops nicely with additional time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and silky on the palate, with terrific purity, it has building tannins and a great finish, all giving it an accessible yet also age-worthy feel. It will keep for two decades. This cuvée is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec, and the balance Merlot, brought up in 80% new French oak.

(the pH here is around 3.8, with very little acid added, according to winemaker Josh McDaniel): Bright ruby-red. Pure but laid-back aromas of black raspberry, tobacco leaf, sweet spices and licorice. Sweet, chewy and concentrated, showing distinct herb, licorice and menthol nuances to its penetrating flavors of cassis, black cherry, bitter chocolate and mint, with a hint of violet providing lift; this sample did not display the slightly inky edge of an earlier bottle. Not a particularly opulent or fat wine but very much in the style of this vintage. Finishes subtle and sneaky-long, with fine-grained tannins coating the front teeth. Really builds and lingers on the aftertaste; I suspect this wine will eventually merit an even higher score as it unwinds. High-quality oak here!