The 2024 vintage is a breakout year for both Napa and Sonoma Malbec's, having soaked up the glorious heat of the vintage better than any varietal I have tasted thus far. Unlike Petite Verdot, which is indeed a fantastic blender, Malbec plays a dual role as both blender and stand-alone varietal exceptionally well (as evidenced by the success of Argentinean Malbec). Never before have I seen such an amazing assortment of North Coast opportunities! Lot 55 2024 Yountville Malbec is the best-of-the-best I have tasted thus far, a blending component hailing from an ultra-premium St. Helena producer whose Cabernet's are priced from $150-$265/bottle. Needless to say, the wine is spectacular and built to the nine's with 75% new French oak, easily giving the $100+ Argentinean Malbec's a run for their money and by far the finest Malbec I have ever bottled. It's an absolute steal at $19/bottle! Glass staining, inky and dense in the glass with an almost opaque core. The bouquet is OMG good, meaty and boisterous, leaping from the glass with boysenberry puree and blackcurrant enveloped in dark chocolate notes and toasty french oak. With a couple of swirls the bouquet complexes with mulberry, plum and coffee bean notes with a hint of new leather. Fantastic and worth the price of entry alone! The smooth, supple entry belies the robust underlying structure of chewy tannins beautifully enveloped with ripe boysenberry, blackcurrant, and raspberry liqueur under-girded with coffee bean and dark chocolate in a long, pulsating finish that just goes one and on. Pure and perfectly integrated throughout, this is a spectacular Malbec that, while built to be an ultra-premium blender, is an absolutely fantastic stand-alone wine and that will drink well in it's youth but age beautifully over the next 10-15 years. 98% Yountville Malbec, 2% Coombsville Petite Verdot15% alc.~150 cases to be produced
Related
Related
Related
Related