2001 Behrens Family Ode to Picasso
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Tasting notes
(a blend of 40% syrah, 32% cabernet sauvignon, 15% petit verdot, 8% cabernet franc and 5% merlot) Deep, bright ruby. Superripe but vibrant nose combines black fruits, dark chocolate, violet and meat. Distinctly liqueur-like in the mouth, with superconcentrated flavors of kirsch, violet pastille, menthol and chocolate. A powerful, compellingly rich wine that's sweet but dry in the way of so many Napa Valley bottlings from very ripe years. Finishes with big, broad tannins and excellent length.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The Dead Cat cuvee ... oh, I’m sorry, I mean the 2001 Ode To Picasso (their homage to a deceased pet) is a blend of 40% Syrah, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Merlot (who thinks up these blends?). No European producer would dare mix all this stuff together because of ... tradition ... but these disrespectful adult hippies got it right. It’s all about creativity, singularity, and producing awesome wines ... like this one. Incredible aromas of creosote, blackberries, creme de cassis, acacia flowers, and underbrush soar from the glass. Superb texture, great purity (a characteristics of all B and H wines), and terrific length characterize this wine. It will be impossible to resist over the next 10-15 years. Go for it! I admire what Les Behrens, Bob Hitchcock, their wives, friends, and lunatic dog are doing at their winery and cellars on the top of Spring Mountain. They are obsessed fanatics who make wine with no compromises ... obviously my kind of people. Tel. 707-963-1774; Fax 707-963-8206