2016 DeLille Cellars Harrison Hill
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Tasting notes
Good dark red. Utterly distinctive aromas of redcurrant, darker berries, licorice, tobacco, crushed rock and iron (there are streaks of color in the ground here, notes winemaker Gorski). Not a thick or sweet style but sappy, fine-grained and energetic, with red berry and spice flavors framed by sound acidity. Quite backward and fairly powerful but savory and light on its feet, conveying an impression of delicacy. This is distinctly tighter and less creamy than the 2015 release. Finishes with superb spicy rising length and serious grip and tannic spine. The youngest vines in this vineyard were planted in 1993! (13.5% alcohol; aged in virtually all new oak)
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Harrison Hill Vineyard has a rich and full expression, leading with Cabernet characteristics. It displays notes of soft red spices on the nose, with a dark-berried core of fruit, hints of oak and rocky minerality. The palate is clean, with structuring tannins and a layered base of dusty fruit that evolves to show nuanced herbal flavors on the mid-palate. The finish is long and thoughtful. This is a small 325-case production.
This has raspberry-pastry aromas with woody spices and custard-powder notes. The palate has medium body and the flavors sit in a spiced red-berry zone. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot. Approachable now.
Always one of the most complex in the lineup, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Harrison Hill comes from Snipes Mountain and always reminds me of a top wine from Margaux with its elegance and complexity. Blackberries, blackcurrants, sandalwood, graphite, and tobacco leaf notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied Cabernet that has silky tannins and a nuanced, elegant texture. It’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 15-20 years.