First of 2 ($73.50@) from an auction lot about 2 years ago bought as a kind of tribute for dear CT friend Cyclist, who’d recently decamped to the E Coast and who is the world’s foremost apostle of CF, a varietal not always esteemed by sfwl and minimally represented in his collection. On the nose and palate, initial notes of herbaceous grassiness, which ebbed with about 30 minutes of air, sweet blue and blackberries, black currants and cherries, dark soil, chocolate, roast coffee, graphite and a hint of tobacco. Dark purple, medium to full bodied, thick legs. Medium/+ tannins and acidity, both well integrated, no heat. VG+ complexity, persistence and intensity. My first Blackbird of any sort, and in fact, I was so ignorant of the winery, I’d thought TRB was the winemaker (it’s the slightly less modern but still kinda culty Aaron Pott); I’ve had a few Quintessas and have a ‘13 Greer in the collection gather spider webs, but am equally non-knowledgeable about him as the winery. So, I had ample basis for curiosity, and while I’d not shared Cyclist’s enthusiasm for a B Dr. Crane CF, I’d adored an ‘08 Favia Cerro Sur, so maybe it was time to give the CF another chance (this is 84% CF, btw), even if it took me 2 years to pop. This more than rewarded that curiosity, needing just a short amount of time to blow off some funkiness before becoming a wine of lovely contrasts: vibrant with great concentration mixed with suavity, wonderful mouthfeel and a strong backbone, fulsome but impressively lightfooted. This makes this a great pour on its own but with plenty of starch to stand up to the loin lamb chops it accompanied. Held impeccably over 3 nights, giving the impression that it’s early drinking window, likely to hold very well, even if it’s near its apogee now, for +/- 5 years. Terrific value at my purchase price, will keep my eyes open for more. 94-95+
