Freemark Abbey
Cabernet Bosché Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon
Rutherford, Napa Valley, California, USA
Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears and some signs of very fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of mostly ripe with some tart and drying fruits: cassis, blackberries, pipe tobacco, Serrano pepper, purple flowers, leather, and a pleasant mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the alcohol is medium+. FWIW, this is an impressive wine on the nose and the palate.
Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet Sauvignon (or blend there of) or Sangiovese-blend, or Tempranillo (or blend) from the United States, France, Italy or Spain. However, the shear generosity of fruit and lavish oak treatment leads me to Napa. Additionally, there’s a structure that gives me mountain fruit vibes. Final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from the United States, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain, 2015. Perhaps I was trying to be a bit too clever but scoring lots of points nonetheless. Probably one of the more memorable, contemporary Freemark Abbey’s I’ve had. Really impressive. Drink now through 2050.
Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears and some signs of very fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of mostly ripe with some tart and drying fruits: cassis, blackberries, pipe tobacco, Serrano pepper, purple flowers, leather, and a pleasant mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the alcohol is medium+. FWIW, this is an impressive wine on the nose and the palate.
Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet Sauvignon (or blend there of) or Sangiovese-blend, or Tempranillo (or blend) from the United States, France, Italy or Spain. However, the shear generosity of fruit and lavish oak treatment leads me to Napa. Additionally, there’s a structure that gives me mountain fruit vibes. Final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from the United States, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain, 2015. Perhaps I was trying to be a bit too clever but scoring lots of points nonetheless. Probably one of the more memorable, contemporary Freemark Abbey’s I’ve had. Really impressive. Drink now through 2050.
Excellent quality old school Cabernet. Blackcurrants, fig, sweet tobacco, iron, leather. Bordelaise in its structure and precision. Worth seeking out.
Excellent quality old school Cabernet. Blackcurrants, fig, sweet tobacco, iron, leather. Bordelaise in its structure and precision. Worth seeking out.
Dec 13th, 20152010 vintage. Upon opening I got plenty of floral notes from the bottle, dark lilac and soft red flowers. Half an hour later the vegetal notes come out, from bell peppers to what seems like whole stem inclusion. Half an hour after that is when the fruit comes forward, with these just ripe red raspberries and sweet blackberry. I love how much this twists and turns once opened, and while it could be cellared for another 10 years, it is still a fantastic Napa cab right now.
2010 vintage. Upon opening I got plenty of floral notes from the bottle, dark lilac and soft red flowers. Half an hour later the vegetal notes come out, from bell peppers to what seems like whole stem inclusion. Half an hour after that is when the fruit comes forward, with these just ripe red raspberries and sweet blackberry. I love how much this twists and turns once opened, and while it could be cellared for another 10 years, it is still a fantastic Napa cab right now.
Nov 3rd, 2015They used this vineyard in bv reserve
They used this vineyard in bv reserve
Aug 27th, 2015
Oaky, amazing fruit, perfect gigantic cab. Loved it.
Oaky, amazing fruit, perfect gigantic cab. Loved it.
Jun 4th, 2015Give this wine 2 hours in the decanter, really softens up. Gravel, dust, blackberries, tobacco, cured black olives. I would lay down for 5 or more years.
Give this wine 2 hours in the decanter, really softens up. Gravel, dust, blackberries, tobacco, cured black olives. I would lay down for 5 or more years.
Jan 26th, 2015
Should drink it ten years from not. Still very nice right now.
Should drink it ten years from not. Still very nice right now.
Apr 30th, 2017
The standard by which Napa cab should be measured. Rich and complex, beautiful fragrant nose. Layered fruit that builds to later spice and tannin. The 2010 is a favorite.
The standard by which Napa cab should be measured. Rich and complex, beautiful fragrant nose. Layered fruit that builds to later spice and tannin. The 2010 is a favorite.
Mar 5th, 2016