2011 Robert Craig Affinity
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Tasting notes
(14.5%; from this producer's lowest-altitude, highest-yielding vines in 2011, but still a moderate 2.8 ton per acre): Bright medium ruby. Aromas of black plum, dark cherry and mocha are complicated by musky, smoky spices. Silky and sweet but with good juicy clarity and lift to the perfumed flavors of raspberry, black cherry, menthol, tobacco and peppery herbs. Finishes with rather suave tannins and very good verve and sneaky length. The best value in the 2011 portfolio.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Affinity is the most accessible of the 2011 Cabernets I tasted from Robert Craig. Iron, smoke, tobacco, underbrush and a swath of dark fruit flow across the palate as the 2011 opens up in the glass. The Affinity has a little more inner sweetness and perfume than the two other Cabernets, but it finishes with the a similar sense of overall structure. I would give the 2011 at least a few years in bottle for the tannins to start softening. This is a terrific showing.
The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Affinity, a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, is a fairly priced Napa beauty. A sweet core of black currants, black cherries, graphite and toasty oak emerges from this wine along with velvety tannin, lots of personality and a background floral note. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. Robert Craig Winery remains under the radar for high quality, impressive wines. Tel. (707) 252-2250