September 2, 2023 - Deep dark inky red. Bold flavors of leather, berry, pepper, with long finish sticking to my tongue. What a nice long finish! Nice tannins but not too harsh. Light acidity.
August 20, 2023 - A well deserved score! Why? The aromas of dark fruit and forest; the flavors of blackberry, dark cherry and very slight flint. The long lasting finish with a bold but smooth mellow palate. This mellowness is achieved by balanced tannins and acidity along with just the right amount of alcohol content. The long lasting legs on the glass tell you that you are in for something special. This is my first bottle of 3, which I will consume between now and the end of the decade.
December 10, 2022 - Its drinking very well right now. All pieces have come together. But, one could keep this in cellar for another decade.
February 28, 2022 - Same as previous note
February 15, 2022 - So happy I held on to this and resisted the urge to open it sooner. With enough air time, this wine impeded beautifully Plenty of fruit and complexity but without the earthy, tannin, bomb of flavor that would overshadow the jam and berry. The balance is amazing. Wait 50 years to open. And worth it.
December 22, 2021 - 2012 Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon
Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
Vineyards
Our Dancing Bear Ranch on the slopes of Howell Mountain in northern Napa Valley ranges in elevation from 1,100 to 1,900 feet and enjoys a near 360 degree exposure, offering a wide range of rowing conditions. Planted in shallow, rocky, volcanic soils in 24 separate blocks based on varietal type (cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc), sun exposure, soil profile and clonal selection, the vines are routinely stressed, yielding small crops of intensely flavorful grapes. To ensure the fruit reaches full physiological maturity, we carefully manage the crop on each vine to achieve optimal ripening and flavor development. Observing the process – and sometimes partaking of the goods – are hungry foxes, bears, bobcats and wild turkeys.
Vintage 2012
2012 was a truly spectacular growing season in Napa Valley, with a warm, dry spring fostering early budbreak and trouble-free flowering and grape set. Consistently mild summer weather free of rain or
unwelcome heat spikes allowed us to harvest our Dancing Bear grapes at peak maturity with a perfect balance of deeply concentrated fruit flavors, bright acidity and ripe, supple tannins.
Winemaking
Due to the stressed vines and small berries typical of Dancing Bear Ranch – a result of very well-drained soils – our winemaking goal is to fully capture the fruit’s intense mountain character while avoiding
overly aggressive tannins. Winemaker Julianne Laks carefully monitors tannin levels in the juice and wine during fermentation and maceration. After the component lots of Dancing Bear achieve an optimal balance of fruit intensity and tannin, she drains the free run wines from their skins and ages them in French oak barrels prior to blending in the spring following the vintage. Our 2012 Dancing Bear – a blend of 95% cabernet sauvignon and 5% merlot representing six of the vineyard’s distinctive clonal selections – spent a total of 21 months aging in barrels, 54% new, prior to bottling on July 29, 2014.
Tasting Notes
Characteristically dense, perfumed aromas of bright black cherry, blueberry and blackberry fruit, mixed with floral and forest-floor scents, introduce amazingly bright, vibrant and concentrated red and black cherry, plum, spice and dark chocolate flavors framed by round, ripe tannins. Beautifully balanced and structured for long-term aging, this intense, complex mountain cabernet is just beginning to unfold its many splendors and will age beautifully in bottle for at least a decade.
Grape varieties: 95% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot
Vineyard: Dancing Bear Ranch, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
Harvest dates: October 4-13, 2012
Fermentation: 100% in stainless steel tanks
Barrel aging: 21 months in French oak, 54% new
Alcohol: 14.6%
Total acidity: 0.62 g/100 ml
pH: 3.77
Bottled: July 29, 2014
Winemaker: Julianne Laks
August 2, 2021 - Brilliant, slow to open, then great.
January 18, 2021 - decanted longer versus the other bottle
October 16, 2020 - N/A
June 11, 2020 - Decanted for an hour. Deep purple with some rim variation. Beautiful bouquet of cherries, cinnamon, forest floor, mint. The palate shows a terrific freshness and vibrant acidity, with integrated oak and tannins. Concentrated flavours. Persistent finish. Just great balance. Has the makeup to keep evolving for some time to come. Bravo!