Devistatingly syrupy from start-to-finish, a teensy bit of grimy asphalt in the nose its only savior. Dark translucent ruby at the core with glowing clear garnet edges, it’s a stuffy pile of sugary briar throughout the bouquet making *Napa homogenization* or even *Paso ripeness* take a back-seat in the grand cab-scheme of things. Gaggingly rotund with ridiculous saccharine curves–none of them approaching svelte, muscular, or even remotely complex.
On the palate, a more perfect example of #winebro deliciousness would be hard to find. Pancake syrup drips from every angle, the middle a soda-pop nothingness tinged with unintelligible shallow bitterness going nowhere but hot. Tannins non-existent, just out-of-whack conflict between steroidal sugar and an un-composed grate lacking composure or depth. A wine of this price-point and provenance brings with it certain expectations of concentration and finesse, but the Caymus-crowd is clearly the intended demo here. Please make wines like this go away. And the people who drink them.
2014 GRIMM’S BLUFF ‘Contango’ Cabernet Sauvignon Happy Canyon Santa Ynez Valley Santa Barbara Co. 14.5
Stephen McConnell 