2018 Tranche Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

Community Tasting Notes (1) Median Score: 92 points

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  12/12/2021 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Not my fave style of $50 Cab, but this really grew on me. My "issue" is that it showed powerful green tones, pyrazines, which I'm really sensitive to and usually dislike- but here I think they were uncommonly well-integrated, or at the very least still left enough room for the rest of the wine, which was pretty nice.
  
  Lots of bitter dark cocoa, leafy tobacco, black licorice, graphite, nearly bell pepper on the nose- if you're into those somewhat bitter Bordeaux style tones, they were strong here, although (thankfully) I still got a sense of the fruit, which was solid. Maybe a little vague, but also pure, with cool, deep cassis or blueberry liqueur, concentrated and ripe but also taut and fresh. Not really much trace of oak, just fruit and earth.
  
  The fruit was even clearer on the palate, at first a little hot with a spike of alcohol, but quickly mellowing to show vibrant blue-black fruit, excellent acidity that felt unusually energetic and well-integrated for high ABV Cab, plus some chalky tannins that could use a few years to relax, although it's already enjoyable if you don't mind a little texture.
  
  I was pretty surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this despite the intensity of my usually-disliked flavor profile. It felt like part of the experience here, adding complexity to the fruit rather than burying it.

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