Estate Bottled Angelo's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

I have mentioned my admiration for this producer when Charles Hendricks was their Winemaker through 2013. 2013 is a great Napa vintage for a swan song. My last Regusci post was their Patriarch and is my second favorite Regusci vineyard. Angelo’s, I mentioned was my favorite and this didn’t disappoint.

Not many well stored Angelo’s or Patriarch Regusci’s made by Charles left on the secondary market. This one was well stored with next to no wine running down the cork.

The nose is inviting. Ripe, ruby fruits of, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, strawberries, raspberries & cherries. Dark chocolate to pudding, anise, malted milk balls, mid berry to red cola, beautiful, nicely layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanilla, moist sage, black olive, dry stem & top soils, baking powder, tree bark with red & dark florals for days.

The tannins are still M+ but rounded & velvety. Ripe, ruby fruits of, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, strawberries, raspberries & cherries. Dark chocolate cake to pudding, anise, malted milk balls, mid berry to red cola, dark, fruit liqueur notes beautiful, nicely layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanilla, moist sage, black olive, dry stem & top soils, limestone, dry crushed rocks, baking powder, tree bark, dark, pronounced spice w/ heat, dryish tobacco w/ ash, leather, lead pencil with red & dark florals for days and liquid violets, beautiful acidity with tall structure/tension, great length & balance and elegance that lasts minutes and long sets on dry earth & spice.

Outstanding.Tasted many Napa Cabernets last weekend at Pebble Beach Food & Wine. Holds its own in all of them except the Harlan tasting; 94, 04, 07, 13, 16 & 20. Even Grace Family.

Well balanced and aged beautifully. Did this in a blind tasting and guessed 2007-2009 as the fruit was still so prominent and pronounced but in a nice way. Tannins were so well integrated and there was still nice structure. Crowd pleaser!

In Charles Hendricks I trust.

Still needs 5 years plus but, a good follow to the Rioja. Handles all the elements of smoke & sweet in our BBQ Ribs.

This 05 was a spectacular follow up bottle to the Rostaing. It’s right at the top of its peak and everything you want from a Napa Cabernet. It hit on all cylinders.

The body full, rich, lush and elegant. The tannins round and velvety. Still plenty of life left in this 2005.

Dark fruits of; blackberries, black cherries, black raspberries with subtle notes of strawberries. Warm and well layered baking spice; cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanillin. Soft, gentle dark spices, mocha chocolate & powder, rich semi-sweet earthiness, crushed rock powder, suede leather, tobacco, light graphite, dark withering flowers, round acidity and a big, rich, elegant, velvety polished finish that lasts minutes.

On the nose; dark spice, clove, cinnamon, lots of caramel & vanilla. Ripe, leaner styled; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, some mulberries & boysenberries. Cherry liqueur, salted milk chocolate, dry crush rocks & top soil, dark forest floor, sweet tarry notes with fresh & withering dark florals.

The body is full. The tannins are well resolved...slightly further than I expected. Ripe, leaner styled; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, some mulberries & boysenberries. Dark spice with some heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, lots of caramel & vanilla. cherry liqueur, salted milk chocolate, cocoa powder, graphite, saddle-wood, used leather, mint, dry crush rocks & top soil, dark forest floor, sweet tarry notes with fresh & withering dark florals.

Despite the mid Napa alcohol of 14.2%, you can sense a stronger level of alcohol in the 05...untypical for this producer.

Photos of; long shot of the winery & Estate vines, pay in the honor system fruits & vegetable cart, picnic area and tasting room.

Maybe, better one year ago. Still very good but, not going to continue to improve. I’d drink over the next 1-2 years. Unless, you enjoy it when it starts to slide into that fig & prune phase.

Delicious. Big cherry, blackberries, tobacco, Hints of brown sugar and fig.

Really liked this one. The ‘10 was well structured and had nice finish on the palette. Typical blackberry, black cherry and some fig newton in there...

Still huge and a little tight upon opening. Dark concentrated fruit with spice and roasted herbs. Great tannin structure! This vintage, if stored properly, could go another five years. Even better five hours after opening!

If you have the 07 Regusci Angelo's Vineyard, I'd wait 5 more years before opening. It's drinking nicely but it's full pleasure is only 50-60% there. The tannins are nicely resolved but there is plenty of room for maturity. It starts with dark cassis and dark chocolate w/ cocoa powder, vanilla, salted caramel & cinnamon. Dry blackberries, chocolate covered dark cherries, black raspberries w/ just of whiff of juicy, ripe strawberries. Spice-box, nutmeg, cumin, menthol, eucalyptus, dry coffee grounds, dry dark earth, dry stones, dry red & dark florals & underbrush. It still has big structure, great length, nice tension & balance. It's just short of perfect acidity but what it lacks in acidity is more than made up by it's long, long, beautiful, elegant finish. It's a superstar in another 5-7 years. Happy Holidays all...hope you have some nice company, food & wine this holiday season & of course...Happy New Year!!!

If you are not familiar w/ Winemaker Charles Hendricks, this wine is a reason to get acquainted. Chuck makes his own private label Hendricks and the Hope & Grace wines. Through 14 and 1/2 of 15 he made James Cole & Regusci. This 01 is pure beauty & elegance. Perfect flavors, balance, purity, structure, acidity & length. Ruby dark elegant fruits; blackberries, dark cherries, dark raspberries, Asian spice, cinnamon, vanilla, dark earth with crushed rocks, suede leather, dry florals & black licorice. A wine you won't forget. He also makes the only Malbec's I really love! #gorgeous