Sori Bricco Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

My pick for their best 13 wine when I barrel tasted all their wines. It doesn’t disappoint years later. So much, lush, ruby, richer & riper than the 05 Lynch Bages. Night & day different. The fruits fall into black currents, ripe, lush, velvety; blackberries, very dark raspberries, black plum, dark cherry skin, raspberry notes as it opens, raisins, tarry notes, dark spices, anise that falls into black licorice, , dry tobacco, barrel shavings, melted caramel, dark chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, bright graphite notes, most clay, true Rutherford, dust dry herbaceous notes, mid to dark berry cola, dry brush, tree bark w/ a touch of sap, crushed, dry rock, volcanics, dry soil with sand mixed in, violet frame with fresh & whitening, dark, purple and red florals framed in violets & lavender, perfect, rainfall acidity and well balanced, structured finish with nice tension, polished w/ Orchestra strings over the top, velvety, finish that lasts two-minutes. As good as I expected. A nice follow up to the 05 Lynch Bages. Corn from my organic garden. Ten or more years of life left.

Picked this up at Nickel & Nickel’s Entrecôte en Baguette Futures Tasting. Seems similar to the movie “Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade,” from the 15-16 reds we tasted, we chose the Sori Bricco wisely. 😂

The nose is very brooding. Big, dark, black ripe ruby & liqueured fruits of; black plum, blackberries, dark cherries, mulberries, poached strawberries & creamed raspberries. Dark chocolate, non distinctive baking spices, steep tea, limestone, bay leaf, sage, dark berry fruit cola, dark, rich soils, dark spice, dry crushed rocks, anise, dry tobacco leaf, graphite, dry twig, slightly, moist clay, volcanic ash, saddle-wood with fresh, candied; dark, red, purple flowers framed in lavender with accents of violets.

For a 13, the palate is nicely round & full. Still showing big dark, chewy & somewhat tarry tannins. It’s fresh, juicy, concentrated & gorgeous. This wine is delicious tonight but, my next bottle won’t be for another 6-7 years. It has big teeth. The structure, tension, length and balance are good but, it will be at least 6-7 more years before they show their best. There is a sexy flow over the palate. Big, dark, black ripe ruby & liqueured fruits of; black plum, blackberries, dark cherries, mulberries, poached strawberries & creamed raspberries. Dark chocolate, mocha powder, caramel notes, understated; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, steep tea, limestone, bay leaf, sage, dark berry fruit cola, dark, rich soils, dark Indian & Asian spice with palate heat, dry crushed rocks, anise, dry tobacco leaf, graphite, dry twig, pronounced, dry top soil, slightly, moist clay, volcanic ash, saddle-wood with fresh, candied; dark, red, purple flowers framed in lavender with accents of violets. The acidity is round & excellent. For me, It holds the slightly higher ABV in check. The finish is; big, lush, ruby, nicely knitted & balanced elegant and slides into dark, tarry, chewy, silty, dusty tannins that persist minutes and then tailing off into dark spice.

This is easily a 20-25 year wine & perhaps more, properly stored of course.

Photos of; buffet of decanted Nickel & Nickel red wines (pretty sure the decanter buffet will go away after Covid), the branded archway you drive under to get to the property, courtyard pond & guests of the event enjoying lunch made to pair with their wines.

On the nose, dark currants, black licorice, dark cherries, strawberries, black raspberries, blackberries, jam, dry red florals, liquid violets, caramel, vanilla and crushed rocks. Palate of; black currants, M+ meaty tannins and the core flavor of anise, Then, the fruits start to distinguish themselves. Ripe; black cherries, blackberries & blueberries. Poached strawberries, plum and black raspberries, crushed rocks, soft, fine chalky minerals, liquid violets, decayed dark florals, soft leather, brewed coffee, sweetened black tea. Tannins lose some of their meatiness on the finish. The structure & balance are good with a warm, ripe fruit driven finish. Barrel tasted the 2016 vintage at the Nickel & Nickel Entrecôte. Aerial photo of where the vineyard is located on Diamond Mountain and the vineyard soil structure which is composed of a sandy, gravelly loam.

Never had this Diamond Mountain Nickel & Nickel before. Amazed that N&N is able to stay with their lighter style even with this mountain fruit

Lovely Cab, has aged nicely. Full, dry, balanced and dark. Best wine of the night.

Black fruit on the nose. Blackberry, cassis, liqueur, chocolate. Medium finish. Drinking very well now but surely will age well. Well structured.

Very good, dark, intense. Would be even better over time.

I last had this vintage about a year ago. It has definitely matured and developed since then. Has mellowed out. Smooth tannins, forest floor, dark cherry, slight pepper hint, tobacco, nice dry finish.

2013 drinking well and these wines are always approachable early!

It will be good but needs at least a few more years, dark fruit, forest floor, dry, alcohol, needs time to develop