2008 Materium Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting notes
(from cobbly red soil on the top of the ridge line past Dalla Valle and Showket): Bright red-ruby. Cherry, tobacco and minerals on the nose, lifted by a floral quality that reminded me of cabernet sauvignon. Lush and sweet but also lively and perfumed, with a strong rose petal element and firm acidity enlivening the red fruit flavors. This captivating, juicy wine really saturates the mouth and lingers on the aftertaste. Winemaker Thomas Brown noted that it has the lowest pH ("3.6 at the most") of all the cabernets he makes for his various clients.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2008 Materium comes from a single block called the Weitz Vineyard at a 1,000-foot elevation on the eastern hillsides of Oakville. It would be hard to improve upon the virtually perfect 2007, but the 2008 is not far behind. Notes of graphite, blueberry, charcoal, spring flowers, and some background oak are followed by a dense, purple-colored wine with full-bodied power, great elegance, precision, and purity. This is again an extraordinary effort from Maybach. It should drink well for 20-25 years. www.maybachwine.com
Good bright ruby. Penetrating, focused, highly perfumed aromas of dark berries, minerals and flowers. Then quite tightly coiled and primary in the mouth, but already showing an exhilarating combination of sweetness and energy. Not at all an opulent style and yet this conveys a real impression of afternoon sun. Finishes with slow-mounting, very ripe flavors and plenty of sap.
About the producer
Founded in 2004 by Chris Maybach, Maybach Family Vineyards honors a family legacy of quality and artistry dating back over a century to the creation of the Maybach automobile. Determined to bring that same excellence to winemaking, Chris partnered with acclaimed Napa winemaker Thomas Brown.