Community Tasting Notes 7

• yeti575rider wrote: 93 points

  July 16, 2023 - Opened 30 minutes prior to dinner. Got better as it progressed so suggest a decant. Dark currant dominant with well integrated oak. Was a bit worried opening a 2018 with a number of recent notes questioning where the vintage is at but better than I was expecting. Wife liked this even more than I did.

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• sean7711 Likes this wine: 94 points

  March 31, 2022 - #1winelover inspired me to open some Carter tonight and I decided to go with 2018 v 2019 Fortuna.
  
  Let’s just say the 2019 blew the 2018 out of the water. It did benefit from a few more hours of air decanted, but this was a wine my girlfriend and I could not put down. I’m glad I have a few more bottles stashed of this, but the QPR is off the chart. Typical Carter bottling and it reminded of how well the 2016 Fortuna drank after ~3 years.
  
  The 2018 was a bit more tight, boozy/hot, but still obviously well made in the Carter sense. Is 2018 the 2013 vintage- high praise but waiting forever to come around? We will see but clearly not as open and inviting as the 2019. Both highly recommended

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• Jazz Nut wrote: 94 points

  May 31, 2021 - Be forewarned this isn't as much of a tasting note, as a cautionary tale.
  I decanted half a bottle (via Coravin) after a great Memorial Day boating with good friends. As much fun as the boating was, I needed a good wine to wind down the weekend. This was a better bottle (and/or time in the bottle) than last time. I've probably had 4 bottles of 2018 Carter Fortuna so far, and I can tell the wine is aging in the right direction. At this point, I'd advise a PnP and consuming within 2 hours. It seemed as the wine was opened, that it added acidity and the aromatics clamped down. I've got a few bottles left, and will be holding off on them for 6 months at this point, as this wine may be entering a shut down phase. Please take this with a grain of salt, as others may have a better palate and more experience. The 2016 vintage of this wine remains excellent, and almost an orange peel/powdered sweet tannins phase, but I think better days are ahead for this 2018 vintage. Frankly, I need to hold all 2018 Carter's until the 2019 vintage is released, as I am betting on the 2019s being a bit more approachable in youth. If you can catch this wine in an open phase, go for it--but in my opinion the 2017 never shut down and was always deep, ripe fruit, silky tannins, and a joy to drink. The 2016 is open for business, in a serious but fun way,--the 2018 will need more time to be at its best.

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• sean7711 Likes this wine: 95 points

  May 12, 2021 - Napa 2021 Trip; 5/10/2021-5/13/2021 (Napa Valley, CA): Tasting at Carter. Same notes and tasting as my first bottle a few months ago. This seems to be a yearly winner in the Carter portfolio, especially considering the price ($110 for 2018s, used to be sub $100 a few years ago). Really singing, remarkably open considering most 2018s.

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• sean7711 Likes this wine: 95 points

  February 18, 2021 - Couldn't keep my hands off trying a bottle of the Fortuna, which is typically one of my favorite in the Carter lineup for the QPR alone. I gave it a 5 hour decant and kept at cellar temperature before trying. Remarkably accessible, it was classic Fortuna profile - creamy red fruit, blackberries, currant, pure fruit. No shame in enjoying one now to see how it tastes.

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Pro Reviews 2

Wine Definition

• Vintage 2018
• Type Red
• Producer Carter Cellars
• Varietal Cabernet Sauvignon
• Designation n/a
• Vineyard Fortuna Vineyard
• Country USA
• Region California
• SubRegion Napa Valley
• Appellation Oakville

Community Holdings

• Pending Delivery 6 (3%)
• In Cellars 134 (65%)
• Consumed 65 (32%)

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