Beta Wine
Montecillo Vineyard Moon Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
Sonoma County, California, USA
Opened several hours prior to service and enjoyed over the course of the following few hours. The 2017 Montecillo pours a deep ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with very pretty notes of tart, slightly underripe dark and red fruits: currants, blackberries, Montmorency cherry, raspberry, fresh leaf tobacco, bell pepper, purple flowers, graphite, earth, gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose with a good dose of minerals. The finish is long, tart and grippy. Okay so I’ve had enough of Ketan’s wines by now to expect a certain amount of greenness. Sometimes, particularly with Vare, it’s almost offensive. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case here. It’s certainly on the more elegant end of the spectrum but there’s a lot of character, particularly with the aromatics which are not only precise but rather beguiling. A classic that just needs more time to flesh out. For sure though, this is going to be a polarizing wine for many. Drink now with extended air but better after 2027 and probably has the legs to run well past 2047.
Opened several hours prior to service and enjoyed over the course of the following few hours. The 2017 Montecillo pours a deep ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with very pretty notes of tart, slightly underripe dark and red fruits: currants, blackberries, Montmorency cherry, raspberry, fresh leaf tobacco, bell pepper, purple flowers, graphite, earth, gentle warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose with a good dose of minerals. The finish is long, tart and grippy. Okay so I’ve had enough of Ketan’s wines by now to expect a certain amount of greenness. Sometimes, particularly with Vare, it’s almost offensive. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case here. It’s certainly on the more elegant end of the spectrum but there’s a lot of character, particularly with the aromatics which are not only precise but rather beguiling. A classic that just needs more time to flesh out. For sure though, this is going to be a polarizing wine for many. Drink now with extended air but better after 2027 and probably has the legs to run well past 2047.
Feb 11th, 2025
Dark flowers, wild blackberry, graphite, grippy tannin, long. Very good now, much better in 5 yrs 😋
Dark flowers, wild blackberry, graphite, grippy tannin, long. Very good now, much better in 5 yrs 😋
Apr 30th, 2022