2011 Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

Barrel selection. 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 19 months in oak, half new . A slight sweet toastiness. But a really moreish freshness and finest dry tannins. Elegant, and a fine line, no weight or sweetness. But still somehow persistent. Should age gracefully, hence the plus. (JH)

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot and aged 19 months in 48% new French oak barrels, the 2011 Diana Madeline is a medium to deep garnet-purple color and shows slightly muted notes of freshly crushed black currants, blackberries and red currants with hints of forest floor, cedar, bacon and lavender. Medium-bodied and tightly-wound on a very youthful palate, it is framed by medium to firm levels of grainy tannins and lively acid that supports the muscular fruit flesh. It finishes with great persistence. Drink it 2015 to 2026+. Imported by Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA; info@oldbridgecellars.com

(80% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, 4% malbec, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot; 12.5% alcohol): Inky ruby. Spice- and smoke-accented red fruits, vanilla and rose on the highly perfumed nose. Juicy, focused and lithe, offering deeply concentrated but tangy redcurrant, bitter cherry and mocha flavors and a smoky note of black tea. A silky sweet and strikingly persistent finish features vanilla and bitter cherry pit.