2016 Vineland Estates Winery Cabernet Elevation

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 87 points

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  11/16/2020 - apple1813 Likes this wine: 87 Points

  2016 Vineland Estates Winery Elevation Cabernet was smoky and toasted. The developing Niagara Cabernet was clear and medium ruby in colour without any sediments. On the nose, there were notes of toast, vanilla and earth, followed by subtle blackberry and violet.
  
  The mouthfeel was dry and medium-bodied, with medium-high levels of chalky tannin and acidity. Flavours of grilled mushroom and bitter dark chocolate dominated the medium smoky finish. The alcohol level was at 14%.
  
  Last summer, I visited Vineland Estates Winery following the positive experience with their basic Cabernet Franc cuvée in the 2016 vintage, for the expressive fresh red fruits and silky tannin. However, it was sold out at the winery. Then, I grabbed a bottle of the intermediate Cabernet cuvée from the same vintage out of courtesy.
  
  Unfortunately, it did not live up to the expectation. The toasted oak flavours overwhelmed the delicate fruits, and the oak did not resolve over six hours of aeration. It still bugs me that at some Niagara wineries, some supposedly better cuvée simply undergoes more aggressive oak treatment, to the extent that it masks the fruit quality.

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