2014 Blackbird Vineyards Paramour

Community Tasting Notes (13) Avg Score: 93 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View sfwinelover1's profile
  • Report Issue

  1/9/2024 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 95 Points

  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+

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View asteff's profile
  • Report Issue

  9/18/2022 - asteff Likes this wine:

  A little bigger structure wise than I expected, but nice.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Indywinefan's profile
  • Report Issue

  11/27/2020 - Indywinefan Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Great nose. It improves with time.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Robij's profile
  • Report Issue

  11/26/2020 - Robij Likes this wine: 95 Points

  Typical fruit of a well made California cabernet in the middle of its life. Dark cassis and black plum skin. Flavors integrated now with the tannin that is still present but subdued. Some tertiary flavors emerging. This was paired with roasted game hens with classic French recipes. My alternate choice was an aged Bordeaux. This did just fine.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View MindMuse's profile
  • Report Issue

  7/4/2020 - MindMuse wrote: 92 Points

  This was coiled up at first, but soon released some classy aromatics and a European-styled savory tastiness, driven by ripe Cab Franc.
  I agree with Kteelak_Buffalo's impression that this is transitioning from primary state, and in a pleasing and complex way, and I don't think it will take long to be in its best drinking window, likely 2021-2023 and beyond. 92-93+

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

View all 13 Community Tasting Notes

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.