October 7, 2022 - Big, bold but accessible with a decant. Very silky and smooth and hides the alcohol quite well.
May 27, 2021 - Very good although not as seductive as the pure cab wines
Wine still needs lots of air and time
This not st Emilio. Or graves by any means but interesting
December 5, 2020 - World class. Excellent blend with depth, complexity and interest. Decanted for 45 min.
December 2, 2019 - Pop and pour. This supposedly is a 50-50 blend of Cab Franc and Cab Sauvignon but it tasted more like a Cab Franc-Merlot blend to me so if you're a fan of young St.-Emilion you will love this. I'm a huge Bevan fan and the 100% Cabernet Sauvignons do tend to taste very similar so it's fun to taste Russell's expert winemaking skill applied to other grapes such as this, the EE Cuvee, and of course the bargain Ontogeny. Just entering drinking window and should be at peak for another 5-10 years.
July 19, 2019 - This blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Francis quite tasty, intriguing even, but it’s not worth the price tag. Buying this wine (or many of the Bevan single vineyard wines) instead of the Ontogeny is like driving into San Francisco instead of taking public transportation: everyone once in awhile, I need to be reminded it just isn’t worth it.
Dark purple in color; full in body; nose of black cherry, pepper, and pencil lead, with a medicinal aroma that takes some time to dissipate. Tastes of blueberry, leather, menthol, and mocha, with a silky though brief finish. 14.9% alcohol. This seems well-integrated, so feel free to drink now, though perhaps a year or two will do it some good. Decant at least an hour.
January 21, 2017 - Birthday Wines; 1/20/2017-1/21/2017 (at Home): Cherry nose - medicinal night medicine nose - - dark mid palate with very little fruit. - needs more decanting - rate tomorrow
Day 2 the classic Bevan nose comes through. Fruitier than the Hillside Select. The acidity is still high. This needs many more years and has potential to improve.
January 20, 2017 - Deep purplish red. After an hour or so in the decanter this was still tight with green notes and a little black cherries. Finally on day two there were tons of 'Bevan' fruits, black and blue with tons of cinnamon and vanilla. Heavy tannins (8/10) and full bodied. This lost a little bit of weight in the mid palate but beefed up on day two. Tons of structure and dark cherries on day one with a slightly stoney and savory finish. Day two brought in the same characteristics as the nose, tons of blue and black fruits as well as cinnamon and vanilla. A touch of heat in the long finish that should dissipate with time. Should be in a sweet spot in about 7 years or so. Drink from 2018 till 2030. (94+)
December 24, 2016 - - Brick color.
September 26, 2016 - Tasted alongside a 2013 Schrader RBS, I was not expecting this label of Bevan's to best it, but for my palate and those of others, at this point along the aging curve, it did. I actually found this to be relatively open but really do think that this will be better 2-3 years from now, as well as the RBS.
To my palate, this was a bit more red fruit driven - nose explodes from the glass with cherries, rhubarb pie, and a hint of tobacco. RBS much more muted, even after a few hours of decanting at cellar temperature.
Bevan The Impetus 1 - Schrader RBS 0
In terms of attack / mid-palate, the Impetus was much more up front with a kaleidoscope of flavors...a unique standout amongst them being this saline / iron / blood note that I don't encounter very often which made this an interesting experience. In addition to that, roasted meats, tobacco, leather, vanilla, and plums. The RBS was a bit more muted / restrained, but did not lack in complexity, which to my palate was more black / blue fruit driven with savory notes of baking spices. I could easily see where the RBS could be at par or better in this matchup several years from now as youthfulness is definitely a restraining factor here...
Bevan The Impetus 2.5 - Schrader RBS 0.5
On the finish, this is where I can really tell the RBS is far too young to be consumed and appreciated for what it will ultimately become as the tannins were extremely grippy with a finish that lasted clearly over a minute as the flavors unwound. The Impetus is a bit more of an 'easy drinker' with very plush / chalky tannins that don't have a lot of bite. That isn't to say that the Impetus was lacking in anything as it's very full in the mouth with great texture, but it is evident after this tasting that the RBS has far more upside in 5+ years than the Impetus, so based on how they drink today, I'd score:
Bevan The Impetus 2.5 - Schrader RBS 1.5
or 96 - 94
In terms of upside, however, I'd say 1 point for The Impetus from here, but for the RBS, potentially up to 5-6 pts once the wine sorts itself out and better integrates...
June 22, 2016 - Dark dark deep red, nose is bursting dark fruit, hint of sour cherry.
First sip, Brisk leather, some burn on the close, slight chalkiness.
Big wine that comes on strong with leather and burnt meat, than leaves you with that hot flash.