2018 Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Fortuna Vineyard

Community Tasting Note

sean7711 Likes this wine:

95 Points

Wednesday, 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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11 comments have been posted

Comment posted by Badmonkey:

5/16/2021 2:23:00 PM - Nice notes on the 18 cabs. I’ll have to pop a Fortuna soon but trying to be patient with the rest of the Carter’ cabs and give them another year. Take care.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

5/17/2021 10:33:00 AM - I usually bypass this one if I buy some Turnbull....might have to try some!
Comment posted by Jazz Nut:

6/14/2021 11:35:00 AM - Thanks for the note--always a buy for me. I've had a few 2018 Fortuna's so far, and I think it's open for business with a 2 hour decant. I had a 2016 recently, PnP that was drinking well. I drank through all of my 2017s as they were great young. I have a feeling that the 2019 Fortuna will be a good one, based on Jeb Dunnuck's review, saying it might be ahead of 2018. I'm not going to be able to taste the 2019s before buying, so flying blind, but will go with my favorites. Appreciate your Napa 2021 Trip tasting notes!
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

6/14/2021 11:50:00 AM - Carol and I are partial to the Fortuna Merlot. Some years it can be the best Merlot in CA in our eyes....er, mouths. Love Leopoldina and Black Label, too.
Comment posted by Jazz Nut:

6/14/2021 11:51:00 AM - Thanks for the comment, Mark1npt! I haven't tried Fortuna Merlot before, I'll have to get a bottle or two.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

6/14/2021 11:55:00 AM - Carol still raves about the '13 we had at dinner out one night in a fav restaurant. It mind bogglingly good.......and sold her on Cali Merlot. Me, too. Haven't had any since about the '16 vintage. Not sure how much of it they are still making, it was only a small plot in a great cab vineyard!
Comment posted by sean7711:

6/14/2021 12:24:00 PM - Jazz, I missed them pouring the 2019s by literally a few weeks. Was hoping to get a read on them, but given the anecdotes I heard from winemakers during my trip (and a few that I did get to taste), 2019 will be the vintage to drink in fall 2021 and into 2022 while you sit on those 2018s.
Comment posted by sean7711:

6/14/2021 12:29:00 PM - I should also add - glad I did taste these 2018s. Many of them from Carter needed more time (namely La Bam, BTK 3K, etc) with the exception of the Fortuna and maybe the OG.. but I'd still wait on that. Carter is a good buy in strong vintages in my opinion.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

6/14/2021 12:41:00 PM - I would tend to agree with you!
Comment posted by Jazz Nut:

6/15/2021 6:30:00 AM - I'll be waiting on my remaining OGs, La Verdads, and Carter Carter's to round into form. I'll likely reserve one bottle of Fortuna for a vertical at some point. But I think they drink nicely young. Based on early reports it sounds like 2019 is perhaps in a similar vein to 2016? Or a hybrid of 2014-2016? I am not used to laying these Carter's down and being patient--but I think it's a good call with most higher end wines of 2018 Napa.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:

6/15/2021 6:50:00 AM - Jazz, there were a few '18s open early but man, have they changed, too. I'm holding pretty much every '18 for the next year unless I see here that they're open and ready. Heck, it might be 2-3 years. Regardless, they will be killer.

I'm not sure what to think of the '19s yet. I think some may drink early like the '16s did, but nearly EVERY '16 was beautiful early on. We might see more insonsistency with the full '19 crop. Some may drink early, some may need 6 months. Remains to be seen.