Our top 6 wines from this week’s tastings.

This week’s tasting lineup brought Araujo, Round Pond, Parallel and Furthermore to Wine Spectrum. Here are our top 6 favorite wines from the week.

2012 Araujo ‘Eisele Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Wine Spectrum 97, Robert Parker 96-98+: The flagship offering, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard is a much longer-term proposition, even for a 2012. It boasts a thick-looking, dense ruby/purple color, sensational extract and richness, abundant notes of blackcurrants, blueberries, blackberries, spring flowers and forest floor, and full body. However, it pulls back before it becomes heavy or overly extracted. The finish lasts 45-50 seconds. This beauty is still in barrel, and will warrant 5-6 years of patience after its release. Like most Cabernet Sauvignons made from the Eisele Vineyard, it should keep for 25-30 years. The only difference I could find between this effort and those made by the Araujo family is that the 2012 possesses slightly more density and structure.

2012 Araujo ‘Eisele Vineyard’ Syrah, Napa Valley

Wine Spectrum 96: This delicious wine shows dark, rich purple in the glass, and displays a racy nose of smoked meat, bitter chocolate, coffee bean, licorice and a hint of violet. In the mouth, it develops opulent flavors of ripe, dark fruit lifted by floral notes, ending with impeccably fine tannins. The 2012 Syrah shows tremendous purity and intensity, while capturing the expression of the varietal. 99% Syrah, 1% Viognier.

 

2012 Round Pond ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Wine Spectrum 94+, Antonio Galloni 93: This beautiful Cabernet boasts a dark and dense fruit. As the wine evolves, the nose reveals notes of wild berry, plum and leather. Lush and velvety, the dark fruit entry layers the palate with black cherry, blueberry, and dusty cocoa nibs. Finishing with velvety tannins, the wine is nicely balanced with soft earthy notes of tobacco and coffee bean. 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec. Just 200 cases produced.

 

 

 

 

 

2013 Round Pond Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford

Wine Spectrum 94+: An elegant bouquet of cassis, violet, and sage tickle the nose. Aromas of dark chocolate, wet stone, and evergreen follow. The intense entry is layered with blackberry, anise, and some higher toned red fruits. This wine builds through the mid-palate with more earth driven aromatics of cardamom, tobacco, and dark chocolate. The palate is beautifully balanced with great acidity and soft supple tannins carry the broad aromas and flavors to a long dark finish. Expressive now, this wine will certainly gain in complexity and depth with several years of age. 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Petit Verdot, and 4% Malbec.

 

 

 

2012 Furthermore ‘Rosella’s Vineyard’ Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands

Wine Spectrum 94: Located east of Monterey Bay, this vineyard has foggy mornings, breezy afternoons and a long drawn out growing season. The vineyard is farmed by SLH legend Gary Franscioni, whose family has been farming the Salinas Valley for over one hundred years. Our 2012 Rosella’s has a velvety raspberry palate with a hint of blood orange and alluring floral aromas. 81 hand crafted cases.

 

2013 Parallel Chardonnay, Russian River Valley

Wine Spectrum 94: Fragrant and complex nose of ripe, juicy pineapple, dry straw and honeysuckle blossom. Rich body that lingers on the palate accentuated by sweet French oak characteristics. Good acidity and freshness balance out the finish with notes of pear and citrus. 536 cases produced.