2012 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon
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Tasting notes
88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec. Subtle, dusty sweet spice and earth aromatics roll into a big, juicy, dark-fruit palate. Lots of juicy, ripe berries – blueberry, blackberry, boysenberry – show up front at the start of the wine, which then tightens into a focused structural finish. Persistent tannins and balancing acidity. Curious how this wine will evolve as it has the structure but opens with such a punch of fruit that I am unsure how the two will marry over time. (ECB)
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is the most overt and structured of these wines from Mt. Brave. Dark red and black stone fruits, spices, menthol, leather and cedar meld together in the glass. Powerful and ample in the glass, the 2012 possesses remarkable intensity. Big, chewy tannins support the ample finish. Today the tannins are a bit more dominant than the fruit, but the 2012 should find a bit better balance with more time in bottle. Dollops of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec round out the blend. This is the first vintage in which Malbec has been included.
The star of the Mt Brave trio of new releases is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. There are nearly 5,800 cases of this fairly priced Cabernet. Blueberry, licorice, beef blood, tobacco leaf and forest floor aromas soar from the glass of this ripe, full-bodied, opulent wine. A blend of 87.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.5% Merlot and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Malbec, it was aged in 81% new French oak. The oak component is well-concealed behind the extravagant fruit. Drink it over the next 10-15 years.