2001 Abreu Thorevilos Proprietary Red - 100 Pts!

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	2001
Rating	100 RP
Bottle Size	750 ml
Bottle Quantity	1
Country	USA
Region	California
Location	North Coast
Producer	Abreu Vineyards
Color	Red
Wine Type	Table

Rating

100 RP - The 2001 Thorevilos is another example of what may well be Napa Valley's version of Ausone, and one of the single greatest vineyard sites in California. One could say this is world-class, but it's really all-universe. A tour de force in winemaking, with notes of blueberry liqueur intermixed with subtle white chocolate, espresso roast, cassis, blackberry and perfumed, floral notes, it is full-bodied, with great flavor purity, a skyscraper-like texture, and a remarkable finish, with a seamless integration of all component parts. This is extraordinary wine that everyone who loves wine should at least taste once or twice in their lifetime. Both of these wines are adolescents, and probably won't peak for another 5-8 years and keep for 30-40. RP

Wine Spectator

Burghound

Varietal	Proprietary Blend
Vintage	2001
Rating	100 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)

2001 Abreu Thorevilos Proprietary Red - 750ml