2011 Vine Hill Ranch VHR Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is, without a doubt, one of the wines of the vintage. Rich and ample in feel with gorgeous aromatic nuance, the 2011 VHR represents the very best the vintage has to offer. A whole range of floral and savory accents lift a core of bright red-toned fruit. All the elements are so well balanced. At ten years of age, the 2011 is an infant.

The VHR 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Rich and resonant, with striking aromatic presence, the 2011 VHR captures the very best this challenging growing season had to offer. All the elements are so well balanced. Time in the glass brings out bright floral and savory accents that liven the red-fleshed fruit. At ten years of age, the 2011 is an infant. It is absolutely gorgeous in this tasting. "I was just happy to get fruit into the winery that wasn't mush," vineyard manager Mike Wolf commented, alluding to a rainy, cool growing season that saw unprecedented levels of disease pressure throughout Napa Valley.

The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is soft, supple and gracious. There is little question the 2011 is the most mid-weight, accessible vintage produced here yet. Sweet tobacco, licorice, menthol, cloves and black cherries meld together in this expressive, nuanced Cabernet Sauvignon. Winemaker Francoise Peschon aged the 2011 in 100% new French oak barrels, but there is no sign of new oak at all. The 2011 is an excellent choice for drinking over the next handful of years. Readers lucky enough to own preceding vintages will want to hold onto those, and drink the 2011 in the meantime.