Black impenetrable staining… SO staining I’m sure these glasses will never be clear again. Big buttery heat off the nose, a fruit so ridiculously macerated beyond comprehension it goes pond-water in warmth and growth. Alcohol with a tinge of Ajax or Comet curls nostril-hairs. Tasting it improves things a bit, so just lie back and think of England on this one. Chewy green ire vie for dominance along dense trails of woody marmalade and maraschino. Do I need to explain those *woods* are 100% oak? A redemptive spark of sharp vegetal–something borne of red dust and mountain flora–creases the finish, where tannins kinda dwaddle around undecidedly. Looks to be the cheapest red they make and I’d love to taste it without the whopping glob of Syrah in it.
2017 LAIRD FAMILY ESTATE ‘Jillian’s Blend’ Cab/SY/ME/Bec/PV 64/23/9/3/1 Napa Valley 14.9
Stephen McConnell 