2002 Behrens Family Kenefick Ranch Cuvée Reserve
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Tasting notes
(16.4% alcohol; 82% cabernet sauvignon, 12% petit verdot and 6% merlot) Saturated bright ruby. Fla mboyantly ripe aromas of black cherry, blackberry, violet, dark chocolate and licorice. Sweet, lush and extremely ripe, with impressive breadth. Big, rich, chocolatey and a bit rustic, but the tannins are rather fine-grained. Still, the young 2003 appears to be a more refined style of wine.
Critic scores
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Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
(a blend of 82% cabernet sauvignon, 12% petit verdot and 6% merlot) Saturated medium ruby. Port-like aromas of kirsch, crushed blackberry and violet. Superripe and supersweet, with brooding, very dark flavors of blackberry, bitter chocolate and licorice. A powerful essence of berries. Finishes hugely tannic and very long, with late notes of chocolate and mint. A major mouthful in the making.
The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Kenefick Ranch (which Les Behrens calls, “the poor man’s Araujo”) is a fat, expansive, deep, concentrated effort displaying an inky/purple color as well as super aromas of blueberry liqueur, smoke, creme de cassis, and hints of chocolate and espresso. Medium to full-bodied, with super depth in addition to a tremendously persistent finish of 45-50 seconds, it will require 2-3 years of bottle age, and should drink well for 15-16. 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