2018 Seven Apart Cabernet Sauvignon Expedition

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Expedition, the first wine in this range, is a heady, exotic Cabernet laced with copious blackberry jam, bittersweet chocolate, spice and new French oak. Unabashedly opulent, this full-throttle Cabernet delivers plenty of intensity in a bold style that will require only minimal cellaring. Soft contours add to its considerable appeal. This is certainly an impressive debut. Hopefully the oak can be a bit more measured in the future, but that's a pretty small quibble at this level. The Expedition is built around a core of fruit from vineyards in Soda Canyon and Atlas Peak.

Opaque purple-black in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Expedition explodes from the glass with vibrant notes of crème de cassis, crushed black cherries, blackberry preserves and mulberries plus suggestions of clove oil, red roses, plum preserves and sandalwood with a compelling waft of licorice. The big, rich, full-bodied, full-on pedal-to-the-metal palate is absolutely chock-full of black fruit preserves layers and a whole firework display of exotic spices, framed by rock-solid, ripe, rounded tannins and tons of freshness, finishing with epic length. This has a bold, in-your-face style at this stage, which is great if that's your thing. If you are looking for subtle nuances and savory/earthy characters, I'm confident that this is headed that way, but it will need a good 10 years in the cellar and should continue to evolve over the next 20 years. Only around 1,500 cases were produced.