2003 Behrens Family Kenefick Ranch Cuvée Reserve
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Tasting notes
(93% cabernet sauvignon, 4% merlot and 3% petit verdot) Medium ruby. Cool, pure aromas of cassis, licorice and violet. Juicy, dry and lively, with excellent flavor intensity and enticing floral lift. I would have guessed this had some cabernet franc. Quite tightly wound after the bottling, and currently showing its tannic side. But this will almost certainly merit a higher rating with four or five years of additional bottle aging. In this vintage, Les Behrens used a mechanical punchdown tank for the Kenefick Ranch cabernet sauvignon-an approach that was used for more wines in 2004.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
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The 2003 Kenefick Ranch Cuvee (a 400-case lot of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot) exhibits an inky/ruby/purple color along with a gorgeous perfume of smoke, blueberry liqueur, creme de cassis, white chocolate, and espresso roast. Dense, opulent, and full-bodied, with a terrific texture as well as palate penetration, and a 40-45 second finish, it is capable of lasting a decade or more. I can’t say enough good things about Behrens and Hitchcock. This is the type of winery operation that gives hope to aspiring home winemakers who want to make it in the big time. They have followed their dreams, unearthed top vineyards that were available to everybody, and are making non-interventionalistic wines of extraordinary personality and character. (Release date 6/05) Tel. 707-963-1774; Fax 707-963-8206