2018 L'Ecole No 41 Apogee Pepper Bridge Vineyard
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Tasting notes
The 2018 Apogee Pepper Bridge Vineyard is a blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 14% Malbec and 3% Cabernet Franc. Elegant oak tones flow from the glass with nuances of Tahitian vanilla, toasted nutmeg and cinnamon with blackberry reduction and plum compote. Full-bodied, the wine's texture is tight-knit, with the oak and fruit essence firmly tied together. This will age gracefully but needs a few more years in bottle to gel together. The wine ends with a long, lingering, complex finish that evolves in the mouth with persistence for more than a minute. The wine spent 22 months in French oak barrels, 50% new. The Apogee will remain food-friendly for years to come; just give it a couple more years in bottle to come around. Bravo! I look forward to revisiting this bottle in a decade. 14,400 bottles were made.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
An attractive nose of wild blackberry, plum, sweet tobacco and nutmeg. Full-bodied with firm tannins. Structured with vivid acidity on the palate. Chocolate and black fruit on the mid-palate, followed through a long, flavorful finish. A blend of 56% cabernet sauvignon, 27% merlot, 14% malbec and 3% cabernet franc. Drink in 2024.
The 2018 Apogee Pepper Bridge Vineyard is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon yet includes 27% Merlot, 14% Malbec and 3% Cabernet Franc, all brought up in 50% new French oak. It has a gorgeous, Bordeaux-like nose of red and black currants, lead pencil, leafy tobacco, and graphite. This carries to a medium to full-bodied red with terrific overall balance, remarkable purity of fruit, and both tannins and acidity. It can be enjoyed today yet will benefit 2-3 years of bottle age and I suspect have 20 years of prime drinking. It's a beautiful wine.