2016 Kinsman Eades Cabernet Sauvignon Anjea Sleeping Lady Vineyard
Community Tasting Note
csimm wrote:
Friday, April 30, 2021 - 3 days in Napa: Arkenstone, Memento Mori, Maxem, The French Laundry, Christopher Tynan, Kinsman, Harlan, Vice Versa, Accendo, Fairchild, Macdonald, and a truckload of others (Napa): The best wine I’ve had from the Sleeping Lady site. I’ve honestly never been wholly impressed with that vineyard nor convinced it had the ultimate potential to compete with some of the big boys in Napa. Well, color me stupid (again). With blackberry and black-berry fruits spinning around in the core, this rendition of Sleeping Lady shows the power of the 2016 vintage and marries it with a hauntingly brooding sense of character. Just when you think it’ll dip down into an even deeper chasm of dark, dark fruit, a subtly dry cedar finish inserts itself into the equation and lifts the whole wine up. Finishes aptly grippy but ever-long. Earth and judicious wood influence add interest, which will ultimately elevate this wine more once it further integrates.
The mid-palate here is unlike anything I’ve experienced from this site. I suppose dropping 20% of the juice to steer concentration and intensity in the right direction helps. Perhaps it’s the Clone 22, which I can say I’ve never called out or identified before. But hey, when the stars align, this is what you get. 96+ points, with certain upside after a decent amount of cellaring (think 5-6+ years minimum). This has definite flex and frame to match it’s dark, almost gothic, profile. Excellent.
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6 comments have been posted
6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (7,915 views)
Comment posted by MJP Hou TX:
5/1/2021 7:21:00 AM - I'm in the same boat with you on sleeping lady. Nige seems to know what to do with this fruit.
Comment posted by csimm:
5/1/2021 9:34:00 AM - I was admittedly uninterested initially when I found out he was pulling fruit from Sleeping Lady. Then of course I tried it. Now I have to try to get it. Oh the cycle of wine life and trying to fill the cellar!
Comment posted by TMOVino2:
5/1/2021 9:27:00 PM - I’ve generally felt similar about sleeping lady and thus haven’t had many. Which have you tried and were disappointed in?
Comment posted by csimm:
5/2/2021 7:47:00 AM - Hi TMO. Though I think Benoit is a very fine winemaker, Fait Main’s Sleeping Lady is the main SVD that comes to mind that never did a whole lot for me personally. The LPV always outshined its SL sibling by a decent margin. I found SL good but consistently ‘just good,’ with nothing to distinguish itself above the sea of other ‘good’ Napa Cabs out there. Other labels have used SL but not called it out as an SVD. Only in the past couple of years have I seen it being touted more (Fayard, Debate, etc). Again, they are fine... but just fine. This Anjea is finally a wine worth touting the site in my opinion.
Comment posted by MJP Hou TX:
5/2/2021 8:38:00 AM - My SLV experience
Anjea-16 (excellent but early both times tried) Long term prospect when tried next to Rhad.
Roam- 14/15 (Tried next to continuum and SLV was completely overshadowed)
Fayard 16 high quality fruit but the profile was missing something. (Purchased 18 but have yet to try)
Comment posted by TMOVino2:
5/2/2021 9:12:00 AM - Thanks all! I enjoyed the 18 AXR SLV made by Jean Hoefliger. The nose was fantastic but it lacked much on the palate especially compared against the other AXR single vineyards.