| Review |
"The single vineyard 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard from the Oakville
Corridor is a monster, a 1,100-case blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit
Verdot and Malbec, it is bursting with aromas of charcoal, scorched earth, barbecue
smoke, lead pencil shavings, graphite, cassis, blackberries, and oak. Dense purple to the
rim and very closed, this is a big, muscular, full-bodied effort meant for serious long-term
aging. Its potential is extraordinary but I wouldn’t want to touch a bottle for 5–8 years.
It should last for three decades or more. In case you think the aging curves I have described are unrealistically long, I have the Joseph Phelps regular Cabernets from the mid-seventies as well as the Insignias in my cellar, and those wines are still drinking beautifully at 30+ years of age. Today's wines are better made." |
