2015 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek is very strong. Despite the tiny crop and the natural tendency this site has to produce somewhat blowsy Cabernets, proprietor Thomas Rivers Brown has succeeded in giving the Panek a good bit of brightness and silkiness. Succulent red cherry fruit and racy, layered texture make the 2015 an unusually elegant wine for both this site and year. Simply stated, the 2015 is a gorgeous Panek.
Critic scores
Average Score
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Deep purple-black, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard gives up compelling notes of fenugreek, turmeric and cumin seed over a core of blackberry compote, chocolate-covered cherries and smoked meat plus a touch of scorched earth. Medium to full-bodied, the palate features layers of vibrant black fruit plus earth and exotic spice accents, supported by fine tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing on a lingering mineral note. 300 cases produced.
Even better than the incredible 2014, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard is cut from the same cloth with its huge, sexy, elegant personality. Notes of crème de cassis, blackberry jam, dried herbs, graphite, violets and an incredible minerality all emerge from this blockbuster of a Napa Valley Cabernet that has beautiful tannin, no hard edges, and a profound purity of fruit. It’s another 2015 that can be drunk anytime over the coming 2-3 decades.
Crème de cassis, lavender, violet and spice notes flesh out in the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard. Dark, powerful and sumptuous, the 2015 offers a highly representative expression of this site in northern St. Helena. This flashy, extroverted Cabernet has a lot going on.