2011 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
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Tasting notes
Aron Weinkauf’s first vintage in charge. A cool, wet vintage that has grown in repute. 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Dark purplish. Lovely nose though it finishes just a little lean and leathery. Almost Syrah-like with a vibrant minty note. On first encountering it I gave it 17.5 and wrote, ‘if you tasted this in isolation you’d love it’. Then over an hour or so it really filled out in the glass. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Even tasted blind, the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is obviously from a cooler vintage, showing some slightly drying, astringent tannins and more herbal notes than usual. The cherry fruit is redder tinged, the tannins less creamy and more pronounced, but one would have to consider this medium to full-bodied wine a solid example of Spottswoode nonetheless, and a huge success in the context of the vintage.
The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is just starting to head into its early first plateau of maturity. Silky and medium in body, with terrific depth, the 2011 has aged exquisitely well. Sweet pipe tobacco, dried herbs, leather and mocha lend tons of aromatic complexity and savoriness. The 2011 is a terrific choice for drinking now and over the next handful of years.
The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate shows the cooler nature of the vintage, revealing some herbal, green notes as well as ample cedar, chocolate, and darker fruits. Classicly Cabernet aromatically, it’s medium to full-bodied on the palate and has great tannins, plenty of sweet fruit, and a seamless, elegant texture. This is another wine offering a classic, old school, yet pure, balanced, classy style that’s a joy to drink. Complex and nuanced today, with a supple texture, drink this beauty over the coming 10-15 years.
About the producer
Spottswoode is one of those rare Napa estates whose reputation rests less on volume or spectacle than on persistent exactitude. Set on the western edge of St Helena, where the Mayacamas rise and afternoon breezes temper the valley’s warmth, the vineyard occupies a favoured pocket of the appellation.