Not a huge suprise when you cram your nose into this thing–I mean: name another region you’d unfalteringly take a blind chance on a comletely unknown producer and wine–even at a reasonable price; maybe even ESPECIALLY at a reasonable price, and figure your odds are better-than-average? Santa Cruz Mountains. End of conversation. Stupidly, STUPIDLY good bouquet: All mint and eucalyptus and gravely red redwood ire pounding out an unbelievable collection of nuances layerd down on tobacco and thick berry: smoky and wild almost to the point of obfuscation of fruit. But gobs of it are there.
In the mouth, pangs from your cavities tell a concentrated, sweet story I’m not completely allowing to wipe the grin off my face. Placid with glorious blackberry and deep cherry, plentiful structure announces itself early and washes the tongue with dry angst against a backdrop of fruit no one can say No to. A bitter theme punctuates the finish, again alleviating the desire to call this “Caymus-y”. Probably nearly at peak, though a complex balance of this sort could be timeless. One of the best wines this month, and completely unknown to me.
2015 MARTIN RANCH ‘J. D. Hurley’ Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains 13.8
Stephen McConnell 