This is some fruity shizzzz: oh man it hits instantly and fresh, almost to barrel-sample or press-wine levels: so thin and muscular the fruitiness is. Plum and apple in the nose, burnt down on lively young smokiness all energetic and ALIVE. At first, you’re almost turned away by it, feeling it might be all super-market in perhaps unimaginative fuzzy lushness. But it goes a different directin with air and tasting, while still staying bargain-thin and geekily beautiful.
Tasting it drives everything home for the win. Nowhere are chubbiness of grandiose fake concentrations: PLACEMARKS of the waist-high grocery-examples the 99 swill. While never reaching positively unenjoyable levels of acid and structure most ridiculously young, cheap BDX’s contain, this contains a TON of *California*, making it rather enjoyable–with asterisks. Those asterisks are grounded firmly in age, and drinking Cab of this level at ONE should be asterisk enough. Brittle and bitter as the cherubic yumminess of nubile berry starts to fade toward the finish, it goes chalkily acrid while still clinging to plentiful bright cherry. This will be sold out LONG before it is drinkable, so be wise. There’s NO WAY you’ll get more beauty from 25 bucks in five years.
2022 NSO by DUSTY NABOR Cabernet Sauvignon El Pomat District Paso Robles 14.0
Stephen McConnell 