This wine, like most exceptional wine, is time consuming. Meaning that to properly enjoy and appreciate it, you must take time. This is not an hour-over-dinner wine, but a night-over-dinner wine; of conversations, a fireplace, perhaps a cheese course, and more conversation. This has always been the beauty of Spottswoode Cabernet – they are not beholden to time. Originally opened at 4 p.m. the wine was fairly tight, but the noticeable dark fruits of blackberry, blueberry and boysenberry are evident. The faint support of dusty tannins and dark cocoa powder, vanilla bean and leather-hide are present. Black cherry begins to present itself, and light lavender. This rolls easily on the tongue and is very approachable and drinkable right now. There is wonderful harmonious fruit, oak and tannins with a supporting acidity. The following day (it’s hard to save this wine for two nights, but it is imperative) the fruit opens up impressively, soft and luxurious, the dusty tannins become just a little more noticeable, helping to support the structure of the wine, the oak influence too unfolds. The fruit is muted, restrained, not showy or gregarious, just like an Old-School Napa Cabernet was created to be. A classic wine needs a classic food companion, therefore I chose a 21 day dry-aged New York steak, judiciously seasoned, as a compliment. The nuts and bolts of this wine are it is mainly estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon with small portions of Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot added in. The wine was aged for 20 months in mainly new French oak barrels. Much of that is irrelevant because this wine transcends all that. It is a sought after experience and Spottswoode is in the business of crafting wines that are nothing short of experiential.
ORIGIN: St. Helena, Napa Valley. ALCOHOL: 13%
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