| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | U.S.A. > California > Napa Valley |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Yields continued to increase in 2013, with just over 4,000 cases of wine from a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. This is another killer effort from Spottswoode. Inky bluish purple to the rim, it has hints of violets intermixed with sweet foresty notes, blackcurrants, chocolate and a touch of subtle smoke and earth. It is dense, with higher acidity and more noticeable structure than the 2012, but is as concentrated, dense and promising. Some patience is warranted in 2013, and I would suggest waiting another 5-6 years before pulling the cork on one. It is a 50-year wine at the very minimum and a great classic. Drink 2019 - 2044.
Glorious blueberries, blackberries, violets and hot stones. Cloves and other spices. Even sliced mushrooms. Full body, very firm tannins and persistent and savory finish. A tight and polished young cabernet.
One of the most classic examples of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon I could imagine is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from Spottswoode. This blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot is a truly heavenly, classic wine built for the ages. Offering beautiful notes of black and blue fruits, graphite, exotic spices, violets and spring flowers, with a touch of earthy, damp river rock-like minerality, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, stunning purity of fruit, perfect balance, building tannin, and a great, great finish. While a number of 2013s have closed down at this point, this still offers beautiful freshness and purity, yet will ideally be given another 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoyed over the following 3-4 decades. Do you want a sure bet in awesome, age-worthy Cabernet from northern California? Buy this wine.
88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. Notes of blackcurrant with blossom and a stony freshness. Pretty and succulent while still firm and nuanced, and taut currently. The structure promises good ageing potential and nice development with time in bottle. Persistent, fine tannins and balancing acidity. Fine balance and mouthfeel. (ECB) 13.9% Drink 2020-2035
The flagship wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, which in this vintage is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot aged 20 months in 60% new French oak. It is elegance personified. Dark blueberry and black raspberry fruit with crème de cassis, licorice and spring flowers emerge from this juicy, medium to full-bodied wine with everything in ideal balance. The acidity, tannin, wood and alcohol are subtle and disguised. This is another beauty from Spottswoode. Slightly less dramatic than the 2012, but classic, it offers 20-25 years of aging potential.
