2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
Crème de cassis, spice box, leafy herbs, tobacco, truffle, and earthy notes all emerge from the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard, another powerful, full-bodied wine. Coming from a site just across from Colgin and all Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in barrel, it's a rich, mouthfilling, powerful wine that has big shoulders, ripe tannins, and the capacity to keep for 20-25 years.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard is one of the most complete wines in this range. Rich, deep and explosive, the Melanson captures all the pedigree that this Pritchard Hill site is capable of. In the glass, the Melanson is plush and beautifully resonant. Dark red cherry, plum, iron, mocha, licorice and spice all build as this voluptuous, racy Cabernet show off its personality.
Greg Melanson’s vineyard on Pritchard Hill is very steep, with rows running up and down the hill directly across from Colgin Winery. Beyond Colgin, its rocky face looks down at Napa Valley’s floor. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard offers a super-intense nose of warm cassis, blackberry pie, fresh blueberries and mulberries with touches of Ceylon tea, rose hips, asphalt and wild sage. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid line of firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness supporting the vibrant, fresh black and blue fruits, finishing long and earthy. 303 cases were made.
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard is very tightly wound today, but all of that energy makes for an intriguing counter to all of the richness in the wine. Although the 2017 is not as showy as most of the wines in this range, it possesses terrific energy and drive. I can't wait to taste it in bottle.