Not a brilliant wine. Oxidized and supple in ripeness. Almost alicante bouchet in feeling and rather unusual for the producer and pedigree. No structural complexity, just lavish glossiness cast across layers of derivation shallow and plump. No cab-franc spiciness, no petit verdot blackness, no Cabernet institutions. Just over-ripe decadence bleaking down on unsavory things easy to pick apart. Shallow in all aspects, a 99% gratuity flowing freely across spicy headiness and slutty *depth* the caymus-crowd will call “amazing”. One of my first disappointments with this label but easily selling to the vast majority of wine-drinkers who need this sort of non-distinct syrup to make their brunch believable.

2022 @dustynaborwinesn DNW/SYV cab/CF/PV 88/7/5 #santaynezvalley #santabarbaracountywines 14.5