Tasting Notes
This cabernet sauvignon’s dark fruit aromas of black plum and cassis are tight yet bright with hints of vanillin and toasted barrel, with a note of licorice and ground pepper. Big juicy blackberry flavors are evenly textured, structured and carry with length. The wine is ripe and opulent with an appealing note of dark chocolate and dusty cocoa feel. A serious cabernet sauvignon that has integrity; built to reward with time in the cellar.
Technical Note
Winemaking
The fruit was hand-harvested in the cool morning hours and brought to the winery. At the winery, the clusters were sorted using a double sorting system. First, the clusters were sorted by hand. The fruit then ran through a small de-stemmer before the individual berries being sorted to ensure the ideal grapes were selected. These berries were delivered to a fermenter where they rested on their skins. Warm fermentation temperatures along with gentle cap maceration to achieve the desired color and structure, before an extended maceration time on skins prior to final pressing. The wine was transferred directly to barrel for 19 months of maturation. Twelve percent of the sorted berries used in this blend was fermented in small French oak tanks, ten percent of the sorted berries were fermented in new French oak barrels and nine percent of the blend was fermented in small concrete tanks, all to add layers of complexity to the wine.
Accolades
96 Points, The Tasting Panel – From its opaque presence to opulent aromas of vanilla bean, plum, and roasted coffee, this red goes deep beneath the surface. Slate-lathered, dusty terroir displays its bold, adventurous side. Blackberry density plays alongside chewy, fleshy tannins. Its stately profile leaves room to age with grace.
94 Points, Decanter – A selection of older estate vines at Dollarhide Ranch, currently over 30-years-old. Exotic, spice-driven aromas of paprika, clove and cinnamon tied together by dehydrated blueberries. A clear step up in pedigree from the the Elevation bottling, showing a delicious, forward richness harnessed by a firm but accessible structure. Drinking Window 2024 – 2035.
94 Points, James Suckling – Blackberry, blueberry, black-olive and mint aromas follow through to a full body with layers of ripe-berry and currant flavors with milk chocolate and plum. Lovely, flavorful finish. Drink or hold.
92 Points, Jeb Dunnuck – Lots of chocolatey dark fruits, tobacco, graphite, scorched earth, and espresso notes emerge from the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Dollarhide Estate Vineyard, which is medium to full-bodied and has a dense, concentrated, foursquare texture, building tannins, and outstanding length. It shows more and more elegance with time in the glass and is going to evolve for 10-15 years.
91 Points, Wine Spectator – Direct, with singed vanilla, cassis and plum notes layered together. Stay focused, with a light tobacco note adding range on the finish, while the cassis note takes an encore.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.