Pulido Walker 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder Napa Valley 98+ Points

Robert Parker 98+ Points: “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder Estate is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple colored, it comes barreling out of the glass with bold notes of blackcurrant pastilles, blueberry pie, warm plums and crushed rocks with hints of fragrant earth, black truffles and olives. Full-bodied, rich and packed with juicy black fruit, it has a firm, grainy texture and lively backbone, with a long-lingering minty kick on the finish.”

Vinous 98 Points: “Coming from a new single vineyard Mount Veeder, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder comes from a block selection made by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown and, I believe, is 100% Cabernet. Lots of forest floor, bay leaf, violets, and assorted blue-tinged fruits define the bouquet, and this is another full-bodied, tight, backward, yet incredibly impressive wine. It will probably merit a triple digit rating in a decade and should see its 30th birthday in fine form.”

Thomas Rivers Brown Winemaker: “Much like a European vineyard, this one is a patchwork of micro blocks, some as small as half an acre. e peaks and swales in a mountain vineyard that can make for uneven ripening remain unplanted here, allowing for truly consistent exposure. The result is a Cabernet Sauvignon unlike any other we’ve tasted from Mt. Veeder—nothing else is quite this complete. Patience was key in both fermentation and blending, as each of the lots had its own complexity. We were excited and challenged by how good the wine was from the outset, but starting from a blank canvas made it important not to rush. Clones 15 and 685 make up the lion’s share of the final blend, along with a few barrels each of clones 30 and 169, which gives this FIRST release a great deal of nuance without sacrificing concentration. There is none of the angularity in this wine that mountain fruit can sometimes produce. What dominates is luxurious black fruit, supported by an abundance of perfectly ripe, unobtrusive tannin. One of the hallmarks of better wines is that they drink well young, and that is certainly the case with the 2018 Pulido~Walker Mt. Veeder Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. is wine is packed with beautifully balanced proportions of fruit tannins and acidity, which will only make it more luxurious as it ages.”