​Toothpaste-mint driven and begrudgingly fruity, crisp clean pencil-lead and muddy pond-bank vie for mineralific dominance against a cashmere curtain of polished inexpensive fruit. Dense garnet and bricking a bit, this is the tri-AVA blend formerly known as Saratoga Cuvée. I wonk HARD for Martin Ray and have done so for decades. This thing doesn’t show off. It’s just a ridiculously solid, brilliant claret. Balanced and perfect.

2009 MARTIN RAY Cabernet Sauvignon Napa/Mendocino/Sonoma 50/30/20 14.4

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