Rivers-Marie
Panek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
St. Helena, Napa Valley, California, USA
This was given a short 30min decant before being consumed over the next two days.
My note is likely going to be reminiscent of my experience with the 2015 Panek I opened 3yrs ago. Out of the RM Cabernet lineup, Panek is the pleasure bomb. One of the signature traits I get from some of TRBs cabs is his ability to pull the entire fruit spectrum (entry of bright red fruits, mid palate of fresh and sweet blue fruits before a commanding and juicy black fruit finish). From the start, this was uber concentrated, but in an elegant way (not brawny). 2hrs later, this smoothed out and channeled a silky profile. This leans to a more floral, dark cherry, mocha fruit flavor profile up front before an inky, juicy, dark chocolate covered black cherry with mint and savory notes. Still on the upswing. Decant 2hrs or hold another 2-3yrs. However, it’s in a hedonistic stage now with minimal air.
This was given a short 30min decant before being consumed over the next two days.
My note is likely going to be reminiscent of my experience with the 2015 Panek I opened 3yrs ago. Out of the RM Cabernet lineup, Panek is the pleasure bomb. One of the signature traits I get from some of TRBs cabs is his ability to pull the entire fruit spectrum (entry of bright red fruits, mid palate of fresh and sweet blue fruits before a commanding and juicy black fruit finish). From the start, this was uber concentrated, but in an elegant way (not brawny). 2hrs later, this smoothed out and channeled a silky profile. This leans to a more floral, dark cherry, mocha fruit flavor profile up front before an inky, juicy, dark chocolate covered black cherry with mint and savory notes. Still on the upswing. Decant 2hrs or hold another 2-3yrs. However, it’s in a hedonistic stage now with minimal air.
The 2016 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard lasted 10 days before I finally gave in. My weakness was rooted more in curiosity than hedonism. Albeit much of that curiosity had to do with how hedonistic it was. After 30 minutes I was concerned that I might have killed a baby. After 45 mins it turned on a dime, and after another 30 minutes it came into focus and you realize all’s right with the world. There’s a seamless swath of minerality and savoriness that spans from wet gravel to dark chocolate cocoa powder while also revealing a bridge of cedar, cassis, underbrush, grilled meat, and espresso. Once again, this makes an excellent argument for being my favorite wine in the valley.
The 2016 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard lasted 10 days before I finally gave in. My weakness was rooted more in curiosity than hedonism. Albeit much of that curiosity had to do with how hedonistic it was. After 30 minutes I was concerned that I might have killed a baby. After 45 mins it turned on a dime, and after another 30 minutes it came into focus and you realize all’s right with the world. There’s a seamless swath of minerality and savoriness that spans from wet gravel to dark chocolate cocoa powder while also revealing a bridge of cedar, cassis, underbrush, grilled meat, and espresso. Once again, this makes an excellent argument for being my favorite wine in the valley.
Aug 28th, 2018
