2015 TOR Kenward Oakville Hillside
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Drive the Oakville Cross Road to the Silverado Trail, then look directly forward and up and you see Tierra Roja, a small four-acre jewel of a hillside vineyard. The vineyard is dotted with big rocks, and the soil is roja (very red). The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Hillside comes from the upper steep terraces of the vineyard, directly below Dalla Valle. It includes 5% Cabernet Franc from another of Oakville’s vineyards. Fermented in a single closed-top tank, this was allowed to stay on its skins for a little over 30 days. The wine continued to pick up sweetness and depth without adding on any drying tannin, so extended maceration was used. After fermentation this was lightly pressed to new Taransaud and Darnajou barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it gives profound crème de cassis, blueberry pie, mulberries, plums, chocolate box, menthol and licorice aromas with underbrush hints. The full-bodied palate is firm, vibrant and earthy with herbal accents, finishing long and earthy. 300 cases produced.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Fantastic aromas of dried flowers and dark fruits, which turn into rose petals. Full body and firms, linear tannins. Yet, focused and very long. More nerve. Compacted and so pretty. Drink in 2020.
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Hillside is a tour de force! Coming from a site just below Dalla Valle and blended with 5% Cabernet Franc, its deep purple color is followed by a deep, sensational bouquet of blackcurrants, black cherries, scorched earth, flowers, and loads of rock minerality. Possessing full-bodied richness, impeccable balance, and plenty of depth, it’s the purity, nuance, and elegance that set this beauty apart. With building tannin, integrated acidity and big finish, give it 4-5 years of bottle age and it’s going to cruise in the cellar for 20+ years.