The nose on this is almost buttermilk in texture: a fruity, deeply textured sour buttery texture bringing soft vegetal and briar through rich, deep berry and oak. It’s quite different from most of the 2012’s I am eliminating from my cellar because of overt ripeness and ingratiating vulgarity of fruit. It hinges down onto an almost-corked set of smells–but it is not corked. It’s just the flaccidity of funk which compels a valley-floor sublimnity, hinging on mountain-fruit deliriousness.

Tasting it swells everything to much greater standards: it’s dank and dark and concentrated, but crazy acid and early structure sway things away from judgements against the pedestrian label. The dirty dankness of the bouquet meld perfectly with palatal influences, going bitter and rash while maintaining lush Napa typicity. Everything screams at you from the void of typical supermarket offerings: a timeless wine structured for the long-run. Yes, I realize most of my followers are judging this label already, but I am only here for the wine: and this is an exemplary bottle causing rash re-reflections on label-judgements. They’ve managed a great one here, an absolutely pristine Napa Valley Cabernet with distinct brashness and crazy texture right up there with the also-ran’s of valley bottles. One of the most stunning 12’s I’ve opened and sad it is my last.

2012 RUTHERFORD HILL ‘Limited Release’ Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Napa Valley 14.4

www.rutherfordhill.com/