2019 Kinsman Eades Cabernet Sauvignon La Voleuse Du Chagrin
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Tasting notes
Fruit from Geeslin vineyard next to Araujo Estate. Soils are sand and river stones. Deep, staining purple. Gorgeous, still quite youthful and tense but with expressive floral fruit and a deep mineral coolness. Fine-grained tannin that frames fresh acidity. Incredible balance for an area as hot as Calistoga. Elegant and cedary. Lighter than the rest of the bottlings shown by this producer. (SCJ)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
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Moving to the 2019s, these are largely in the same mold as the 2018s, although Nigel commented that he preferred his 2019s to his 2018s. The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon La Voleuse Du Chagrin sports a dense purple hue as well as a rockingly good bouquet of cassis and darker currants as well as notes of chocolate, new leather, tobacco leaf, and lead pencil shavings. Slightly more elegant and seamless compared to the more powerful 2018, this seamless, layered, incredibly impressive 2019 is perfect for drinking any time over the coming 20+ years.
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon La Voleuse du Chagrin emerges from a block of Eisele Clone Cabernet on St. George rootstock on a tiny sliver of vineyard that was one part of Eisele. For that reason, I am not surprised to see that the 2019 has shut down a bit post-bottling. Dark and resonant in the glass, the 2019 exudes class and sensuality, with its energy pretty much buried by the fruit. Production is tiny, so I can only hope to revisit in another few years' time. From barrel, it was one of the most impressive wines I tasted in a morning full of great Cabernets.
The stunning 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon La Voleuse du Chagrin comes from a tiny, 1.38-acre parcel of vines adjacent to the Eisele Vineyard. Planted to the same selection of Cabernet Sauvignon and on the same St. George rootstock as Eisele, through 2017 the fruit was purchased by the Araujos and then Artemis. This second vintage under the Kinsman Eades label delivers waves of ripe cherries and a complex mix of baking spices joined by gentle oak undertones. In the mouth, it's medium to full-bodied, plush and soft, velvety in feel, but then it shows a bit of firmness on the finish, along with great length and elegance.