2018 La Pelle Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
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Tasting notes
This “Reserve” label represents the best barrel selection of the year. The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petite Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, coming from 50% Ceniza, 30% Red Hen and 20% Alluvium vineyards. It was aged for 21 months in French oak, 80% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes barreling out of the glass with energetic scents of freshly crushed black and red plums, juicy blackberries and cassis with hints of violets, pencil shavings and black truffles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate possesses beautiful freshness and elegance, featuring tightly knit black fruit and earthy layers with a lively line and finely grained tannins, finishing long and mineral laced.150 cases were made.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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The flagship 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve comes from a blend of the Ceniza, Red Hen, and Alluvium vineyards and is 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It saw slightly more new oak, spending 21 months in 80% new barrels. A classic Napa Valley nose of crème de cassis, toasted spice, graphite, unsmoked tobacco, and chocolate gives way to a full-bodied 2018 offering gorgeous purity of fruit, ripe, velvety tannins, a great mid-palate, and a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. This is another magical wine from this estate that has plenty of upfront appeal yet is going to evolve gracefully for two decades or more.
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a blend of the sites that inform the single-vineyard bottlings. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, spice, licorice, gravel and espresso infuse the 2018 with tremendous depth and texture. Give it a few years in bottle to come around. If that is not possible, a few hours of air in the decanter will unlock so much of the energy that makes the Reserve so dazzling.