2013 Alpha Omega Proprietary Red

The 2013 Red Blend Proprietary Red Wine is a delicious, entry-level offering from Alpha Omega. Dark, bold and juicy, the 2013 is also a terrific introduction to the vintage. There is no shortage of depth or intensity, but the relatively soft tannins give the wine a bit more early appeal than is typical for the year. Blueberry jam, smoke, crème de cassis, licorice and savory herbs meld into the plush, inviting finish.

I will keep my tasting notes for the barrel samples of 2013 red wines short since they will be reviewed from bottle next year, but it looks to be the finest overall vintage for Alpha Omega to date, even eclipsing what they accomplished in 2012. There are several candidates for perfection, including the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and the 2013 Proprietary Red Blend ERA. Right behind them are some other killer examples, including the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon, 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Stagecoach Vineyard and the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper. Even the 2013 Proprietary Red Blend Nuance, which is meant to be their more delicate, Margaux-like Cabernet, should turn out to be as good as the 2012. By and large, one sees super-richness, purity, intensity and depth in these 2013s, with even more delineation and tannin than the 2012s. It will be a great vintage, resulting in two fabulous back-to-back vintages for Alpha Omega.