Excellent Bordeaux blend type wine. Kudos to Harlan for hitting the mark for a “2nd” wine of the chateau. That being said, it is a terrible QPR at $350 or whatever ; I’m drinking it alongside a 2019 cleric Milon which is not far behind. Just saying.
Ok, this is quite complex aromatically speaking and a very nice cab dominant blend. Going in Blind I would probably guess Bordeaux France , so that is a compliment to Harlan as well. But many 2nd growths like Leo Barton or Leo Poy or CS or there are so many Bordeaux options in the $80-150 range that are equally good as this at 1/3 the price.
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What a pleasurable young Napa cab. Big and you g it was hedonistic. Purple black with a dark fruit core. Medium bodied actually. Not overweight, which was nice. Aromas of smoke, black fruit and mint. Super great texture and body. Very silky. I drink a lot of old cali cabs but I was happy to drink this young un. Highly recommended.
Opened this alongside a top tier Washington Cabernet. Both were stunningly good. The Maiden was incredibly silky…elegant. Medium-full bodied. Dark raspberry and blackberry notes mingle with dried herbs, leather, and more earthy nuances. Very long finish.
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I agree with MSU, this really needs another few years minimum. As a PnP, there was almost zero nose, some plum currants, ripe red and black fruits, a bit thin overall. However after 5 hours in a decanter this changed drastically, sweet cherry, blackberry, black raspberry, anise, roses, cinnamon, clove, vanilla, medium+ fine to chewy tannins but balanced well with the fruit. Velvety texture and a very long finish.
This ripe and dense Cabernet needs another few years to open up, but it has all the youthful signs of the full, savory, and earthy characteristics that make the Maiden one of the best “second” wines in the Valley (and no doubt one of the most expensive). Similar to an Abreu Rothwell Hyde I tasted recently, this 2018 is more brooding and grainy than many others of this vintage (albeit ones I tasted more than six months ago, so this all could be timing - the moving target of vinous analytics). Anyway, this wine is very good now and should become great later - and I would recommend opening it later (i.e., 2024).
Dark red in color and medium in body, the wine offers aromas of blackberry, pencil lead, leather, and tapenade. The flavors are precise but raw (like a thoughtful sermon passionately delivered), with notes of boysenberry, cocoa powder, dried thyme, and crushed gravel, with a grippy and earthy finish (read: not sweet, definitely tannic). 14.5% alcohol. This was more harsh and less integrated than a (stunning) 2014 Maiden tasted on the same evening, but the 2018 was undoubtedly made of the same ilk (perhaps with a bit more punch. Bottom line, this is a classy and delicious wine that needs - and will reward - time. Decant at least three hours if drinking now, but ideally wait another few years. 94+ at the moment.
7/15/2023 - GFischmann Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wonderful wine
Deep dark fruit, balance tannins and acidity.
Secondary flavours of the oak and early tertiary flavour of earth and leather.
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3/30/2023 - Wine G Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent Bordeaux blend type wine. Kudos to Harlan for hitting the mark for a “2nd” wine of the chateau. That being said, it is a terrible QPR at $350 or whatever ; I’m drinking it alongside a 2019 cleric Milon which is not far behind. Just saying.
Ok, this is quite complex aromatically speaking and a very nice cab dominant blend. Going in Blind I would probably guess Bordeaux France , so that is a compliment to Harlan as well. But many 2nd growths like Leo Barton or Leo Poy or CS or there are so many Bordeaux options in the $80-150 range that are equally good as this at 1/3 the price.
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11/13/2022 - eschaefer Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a pleasurable young Napa cab. Big and you g it was hedonistic. Purple black with a dark fruit core. Medium bodied actually. Not overweight, which was nice. Aromas of smoke, black fruit and mint. Super great texture and body. Very silky. I drink a lot of old cali cabs but I was happy to drink this young un. Highly recommended.
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7/22/2022 - JP75Wine Likes this wine: 99 Points
Opened this alongside a top tier Washington Cabernet. Both were stunningly good. The Maiden was incredibly silky…elegant. Medium-full bodied. Dark raspberry and blackberry notes mingle with dried herbs, leather, and more earthy nuances. Very long finish.
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7/4/2022 - pakabear Likes this wine: 96 Points
I agree with MSU, this really needs another few years minimum. As a PnP, there was almost zero nose, some plum currants, ripe red and black fruits, a bit thin overall. However after 5 hours in a decanter this changed drastically, sweet cherry, blackberry, black raspberry, anise, roses, cinnamon, clove, vanilla, medium+ fine to chewy tannins but balanced well with the fruit. Velvety texture and a very long finish.
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3/20/2022 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
This ripe and dense Cabernet needs another few years to open up, but it has all the youthful signs of the full, savory, and earthy characteristics that make the Maiden one of the best “second” wines in the Valley (and no doubt one of the most expensive). Similar to an Abreu Rothwell Hyde I tasted recently, this 2018 is more brooding and grainy than many others of this vintage (albeit ones I tasted more than six months ago, so this all could be timing - the moving target of vinous analytics). Anyway, this wine is very good now and should become great later - and I would recommend opening it later (i.e., 2024).
Dark red in color and medium in body, the wine offers aromas of blackberry, pencil lead, leather, and tapenade. The flavors are precise but raw (like a thoughtful sermon passionately delivered), with notes of boysenberry, cocoa powder, dried thyme, and crushed gravel, with a grippy and earthy finish (read: not sweet, definitely tannic). 14.5% alcohol. This was more harsh and less integrated than a (stunning) 2014 Maiden tasted on the same evening, but the 2018 was undoubtedly made of the same ilk (perhaps with a bit more punch. Bottom line, this is a classy and delicious wine that needs - and will reward - time. Decant at least three hours if drinking now, but ideally wait another few years. 94+ at the moment.
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