Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Estate 2014

98+ points Wine Advocate: "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon has a drop-dead gorgeous nose of Sichuan pepper, hoisin, peppered salami and fertile loam over a core of blackberry preserves and redcurrant jelly with touches of kirsch and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated yet still maintaining that wonderful purity and elegance that is the signature of this estate, it has layer upon layer of earthy nuances and a very long finish. Drink: 2021-2050. (Oct 2018)" -Lisa Perrotti-Brown

98 points and 'Cellar Selection,' Wine Enthusiast: "Nuanced, with 10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, this is a quietly powerful wine, smooth and structured and immediate in its beauty, yet possessed of legs to cellar for 20-plus years. Crushed flowers and rocks open on the nose, providing a clutch of minerality, as grippy tannins support red currant, plum and a freshness of persistent acidity. Try to wait on this one. Best 2024 through 2034. Alcohol 14.2%. (May 2018)"

96 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "Spottswoode 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is striking. Black cherry, plum, graphite, spice and menthol are some of the signatures. Intensely mineral and savory, the 2014 comes across as a slightly restrained version of the 2013. The flavor and tannin profiles are both quite similar, but the 2014 is a bit smaller-scaled in all of its dimensions. That is not a bad thing, as the 2014 will be ready to drink sooner. This is an impressive showing. Drink: 2019-2034. (Dec 2016)"

96 points James Suckling: "Amazing burnt-orange and currant aromas with tar and lead pencil. Blackberries, too. Changes all the time. Mesmerizing. Full-bodied and powerful with super-polished tannins and a long and intense finish. The polished and fine tannins coat your mouth. Glorious. Needs three to four years to soften. (1/26/17)"

95+ points Robert Parker: "The wine is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. This wine shows oodles of fruit, blackcurrants, blueberries, black raspberries, charcoal, subtle oak and a full-bodied, inky, intense mouthfeel with a boatload of tannin, but the fruit is present to balance it out. This wine needs another several years of bottle age and, while not up to the levels of 2012 and 2013, it is a highly successful effort and capable of lasting 30-35 more years. (Aug 2016)"

95 points Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is another elegant, yet powerful wine from this estate. Made from 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, its saturated purple color is followed by classic Cabernet notes of crème de cassis, violets, hints of tobacco leaf, bouquet garni, and a beautiful minerality that develops as the wine sits in the glass. Full-bodied, concentrated, and impeccably balanced, it lacks the Wow factor of the 2013 and 2015, yet is a classic and textbook as they come. Drink it anytime over the coming three decades." (12/29/17)

94 points and 'Very highly recommended,' California Grapevine: "Medium-dark ruby; very attractive, deep, intense, complex, cassis and blackberry fruit aroma with hints of dried herbs, mocha, baking spices, and lavender; full body; rich, deep, concentrated, red and black fruit flavors with well integrated oak; full tannin; lingering aftertaste. Shows excellent balance and structure to support further development and should age gracefully over the next five to ten years. 13.7% alcohol; 4,500 cases; blended with 10% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot; released September 2017. (Nov 2017)"