2011 Abreu Madrona Ranch Vineyard Proprietary Red - 750ml

2011 Abreu Madrona Ranch Vineyard Proprietary Red - 750ml

$395.00
2011 Abreu Madrona Ranch Vineyard Proprietary Red
Is anyone anywhere in the world making more consistently profound wines than the famous viticulturalist David Abreu and his long-time sidekick and assistant, former chef Brad Grimes? Working from relatively small sites, two of them adjacent to the back streets of St. Helena (the six-acre Cappella Vineyard alongside a cemetery and the home estate of Madrona Ranch at the base of Spring Mountain) to the co-owned vineyard with Ric Forman, the magnificent Thorevilos Vineyard behind the Meadowood Resort. There is also his own 2,000-foot elevation site on Howell Mountain.

 

These wines are all proprietary reds, probably containing at least 60-65% Cabernet Sauvignon, the rest largely Cabernet Franc with a little Petit Verdot and occasionally tiny amounts of Merlot. They spend a full two years in 100% new French oak and are bottled without any fining or filtration. They are exquisite examples of Bordeaux blends that are true first growths in every sense. So how do I go about describing these wines, which are so exciting and satisfying on both hedonistic and intellectual levels?

Varietal Proprietary Blend
Vintage 2011
Rating 95 RP
Bottle Size 750 ml
Bottle Quantity 1
Country USA
Region California
Location North Coast
Producer Abreu Vineyards
Color Red
Wine Type Table
Rating

95 RP - From the back hills of St. Helena, in the direction of Spring Mountain, comes Abreu's first single-vineyard offering from vineyards planted in 1982, the Madrona Ranch. This cuvee usually contains at least 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and one of the highest percentages of Cabernet Franc, ranging from 33% to 45%. Tiny quantities of Petit Verdot and Merlot are also added, depending on how they fared in any given vintage. Last year I mentioned that the 2011 Proprietary Red Madrona Ranch was one of the rare Abreu wines that showed a little herbaceousness, but that has completely aged out. There is now a forest floor intensity to this full-bodied, opaque purple-colored 2011. After spending 26 months in 100% new oak, it exhibits great fruit, concentration and intensity. The fact that Abreu and Grimes do malolactic in their new oak barrels seems to integrate the wood better than at many wineries. It is certainly a key to understanding the wine's complexity. It displays lots of Christmas fruitcake, coffee, chocolate and spice box notes, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and sweet tannin. RP

Wine Spectator
Burghound
Varietal Proprietary Blend
Vintage 2011
Rating 95 RP
Barrels
French Oak 
Style
Bordeaux Blend
Owners
David Abreu
Region California
Location North Coast
Producer Abreu Vineyards
Winemaker
Brad Grimes
Production
under 500 cases (approx)
    Varietal Proprietary Blend
    Vintage 2011
    Rating 95 RP
    Bottle Size 750 ml
    Bottle Quantity 1
    Country USA
    Region California
    Location North Coast
    Producer Abreu Vineyards
    Color Red
    Wine Type Table
    Varietal Proprietary Blend
    Vintage 2011
    Rating 95 RP
    Barrels
    French Oak
    Style
    Bordeaux Blend
    Owners
    David Abreu
    Region California
    Location North Coast
    Producer Abreu Vineyards
    Winemaker
    Brad Grimes
    Production
    under 500 cases (approx)
    Robert Parker Rating 95 RP - From the back hills of St. Helena, in the direction of Spring Mountain, comes Abreu's first single-vineyard offering from vineyards planted in 1982, the Madrona Ranch. This cuvee usually contains at least 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and one of the highest percentages of Cabernet Franc, ranging from 33% to 45%. Tiny quantities of Petit Verdot and Merlot are also added, depending on how they fared in any given vintage. Last year I mentioned that the 2011 Proprietary Red Madrona Ranch was one of the rare Abreu wines that showed a little herbaceousness, but that has completely aged out. There is now a forest floor intensity to this full-bodied, opaque purple-colored 2011. After spending 26 months in 100% new oak, it exhibits great fruit, concentration and intensity. The fact that Abreu and Grimes do malolactic in their new oak barrels seems to integrate the wood better than at many wineries. It is certainly a key to understanding the wine's complexity. It displays lots of Christmas fruitcake, coffee, chocolate and spice box notes, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and sweet tannin. RP
    Antonio Galloni Rating
    Wine Spectator Rating
    Burghound Rating

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