2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

A library release available from the winery, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon features explosive cherries up front accented by sage shadings. It's medium-bodied, weighing in at a labeled 13.25% alcohol, built around a core of bright acidity and framed by softly dusty tannins on the black tea-like finish.

Graphite, smoke, licorice, game, savory herbs and a host of inky blue/blackish stone fruits make an appearance in the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon. Beautifully layered and intense, the 2010 offers a compelling interplay of finesse and power. Still, my sense is that the 2010 is holding back much of its potential. Readers need to be patient, but the 2010 is shaping up to be a gem.

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is a potent, explosive wine. It offers an exotic mix of ripe dark fruit, textural richness and structure, all signatures of a cold year marked by sudden heat at the end of the growing season. Blackberry, gravel, licorice, menthol and incense add to the wine's somber, deep personality. At 14 years of age, the 2010 is a youngster. The 2010 was vinified by Bob Travers and is the first vintage bottled by the new team, which, among other things, means there was just one bottling. It's a stellar 2010 that will delight classicists.