My love for 2011 Napa is obvious, but I also own a fair bit of Sonoma, and it is NOT the same. They have faded far faster and their neighbor and often feel faded and tired. This HAS to be the best Sonoma I have had–and glad I have a few more. Crazy fruity-funk in the nose, a blistering bell pepper and glistening poison oak mountain redwood scrub-brush sort of nuance follows, beat down with decisive leather tertiary and the swill of polished, ripe cherry. Spellbinding to smell. Just heaven.
Entry in the mouth blasts sharp berry across all fronts. It’s thick and gobstoppingly delicious, the fruit a magical elixir spiked with dusty crushed rock and shaded, spring-fed greenery. The sear of structure finds a place to appear late-middle, gently eviscerating the blackberry into thorn-prodded briar malaise. A timeless wine, chalky and indifferent, shruggingly beautiful and way ahead of its time. Hope you have some.
2011 BERINGER Cabernet Sauvignon Knight’s Valley Sonoma County 14.3
Stephen McConnell 