Frank Family Vineyards Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, USA

弗蘭克家族盧瑟福珍藏赤霞珠干紅葡萄酒

點擊次數：6180

This winery always seems to me to be somewhat under the radar, which is surprising, given the high quality of the wines, which seem to be consistently well-made. The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Reserve, which spent 24 months in about 50% new French oak (14.5% alcohol), is a blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. It is still a youthful, inky ruby/purple color, almost primary, which is rather remarkable after ten years, but the wine is that promising, with plenty of pure blackberry and cassis fruit and a subtle dosage of oak, licorice, and underlying loamy, earthy notes. (By the stretch of one’s imagination, that soil note might suggest the so-called Rutherford dust characteristic.) Full-bodied, ripe, youthful and promising, this wine still needs another 3-5 years of cellaring and should last at least 15-20 years afterwards. This is an impressive, rather classic Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon.

A great wine that combines the modern, ultraripe winemaking style with Rutherford’s fine, complex tannins and herbs. Feels plush and velvety in the mouth, exploding in blackberry, cherry, cassis and chocolate flavors grounded with sweet sage. An ager. Beautiful now through 2012, at least.——S.H.(3/1/2009)—— 93