2015 Marchesi Mazzei Cabernet Sauvignon Philip

The 2015 Philip, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, is powerful and rich in the glass, with copious blackberry jam, chocolate, spice and chocolate notes. Deep, fleshy and bold, the Philip has a lot to offer. Today, though, it comes across as a bit heavy and marked by the heat of the year. It will be interesting to see if time helps the wine come together a bit more fully.

This wine sports one of my all-time favorite front labels. The 2015 Philip reflects the bold, contemporary and colorful themes that are reflected in the painted portrait of Philip Mazzei (1730-1816) depicted on the label. The wine shows a beautiful appearance with brilliant ruby and dark garnet tones. The bouquet is packed tight with black fruit, blackberry, spice, tobacco and leather. This warm vintage delivers broader and slightly flatter fruit compared to the cooler vintages. The fruit here is loosely knit, dark and ripe, and I would suggest a shorter drinking window as a result. This vintage lacks the depth and dimension of the previous 2013 edition.