2013 Rivers-Marie Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon

Though 2012 and 2013 aren’t that far apart in quality, we
feel this is a big step up from its previous edition.  Part of it is having an additional year of
experience with the vineyard and part of it is just how well this site
performed in this vintage.  This is our
one wine with a potential perfect Parker score hanging in the balance and I can
see why now tasting it two months removed from bottling.  It’s the most exotic of the lineup with a
very lifted aromatic and an ethereal feel to the palate that has both a firm
density and a lightness from the super fine grained tannin.  This is like a more accessible version of
Corona with a nice blend of fruit and savory but a lot more generosity owing to
its location.  The aromatic is almost
more Bordeaux like with an emphasis on walnut skins, creosote and graphite but
the fruit profile is very Californian with a black-fruited profile that comes
as much from the vintage as the site.