2003 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve McWilliam's Vineyard

The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (also finished with a screw cap) was aged in 70% new French oak with fermentation in barrel. I think the Reserve is a selection of the finest lots once the wine finishes malolactic. The color is a saturated ruby/purple. The nose seems slightly more reserved and less forthcoming than the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, but there is a brooding, formidable richness underlying the surface. With massive concentration without heaviness, extraordinary delineation and vibrancy without any fatigue, this is a tour de force in Cabernet Sauvignon as well as continued confirmation of the extraordinary Oakville Corridor and the old Villa Mt. Eden site. This amazing Cabernet Sauvignon is bursting at the seams with a 50+ second finish. It should continue to age well despite its accessibility for another two decades. This is another example of a 2003 that is performing far superior to what I would have thought coming into this tasting. Now in the hands of the Getty family and its terrific winemaking team, this is a special site right off the Oakville Crossroads, sandwiched between Groth (the first Napa Cabernet to which I gave 100 points in 1985), the famous Rudd Estate to the east, and the renowned Screaming Eagle to the south. Talk about a high rent zip code! The Plumpjack vineyards are often called the McWilliams Oakville Vineyard. I know this because it was here that Nils Venge made some extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon from what was then called the Villa Mt. Eden estate. I still have a handful of bottles in my cellar from 1985. These were legendary wines that have aged incredibly. If anything, Plumpjack has ratcheted up the level of quality, so one would think they have even more upside potential than their predecessors. Tel. (707) 945-1220; Fax (707) 944-0744