2001 Stonestreet Cabernet Sauvignon Black Cougar Ridge

The one wine that appears to have outstanding potential is the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Black Cougar Ridge, which comes from blocks high on the Alexander Mountain Estate. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, it is extremely tannic, powerful, broodingly backward, and meant for 30-40 years of aging. While tasting the wine, I equivocated whether the tannins were just too ragged and astringent, but there is a lot of concentration in this Cabernet as well as plenty of black fruits, a vivid minerality and a big, forceful, masculine style with plenty of wood. Forget it for another 5-6 years, keep your fingers crossed and hopefully it will turn out to be as outstanding as my rating indicates. All of these Stonestreet offerings were made under winemaker Mike Westrick. Before his death, Jess Jackson as well as his wife, Barbara Banke, agreed that there was often too much tannin and wood in the wines. Those mistakes have been corrected over the last five or six vintages under the guidance of South African winemaker, Graham Weerts. Tel. (800) 355-8008