Trujillo
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvigon
Napa Valley, California, USA
Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep ruby with a magenta rim with very slight rim variation. Viscosity is medium+ with fairly significant staining of the tears and no signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of plums, brambles, purple flowers, cocoa, vanilla, stoney minerals and some warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, soft and comforting. Alcohol is also medium+. A cozy, warm blanket of a wine.
Based off the deep staining alone, I eliminated everything thin-skinned which left me with Syrah (and associated GSM blends), Malbec, Merlot and/or a blend with associated Bordeaux varieties) and Tempranillo. It wasn’t purple enough for Malbec so I eliminated that. It didn’t have enough Spanish sensibilities so I eliminated Tempranillo as well. There wasn’t enough evidence of rotundone so I axed Syrah which left me with Merlot (Bordeaux varieties). Despite the firm structure, the fruit was just too generous for me to place it in the Old World. So I called 2017 Merlot from Napa Valley. Close! FWIW, this pour came from a half-bottle.
Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine pours a deep ruby with a magenta rim with very slight rim variation. Viscosity is medium+ with fairly significant staining of the tears and no signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of plums, brambles, purple flowers, cocoa, vanilla, stoney minerals and some warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, soft and comforting. Alcohol is also medium+. A cozy, warm blanket of a wine.
Based off the deep staining alone, I eliminated everything thin-skinned which left me with Syrah (and associated GSM blends), Malbec, Merlot and/or a blend with associated Bordeaux varieties) and Tempranillo. It wasn’t purple enough for Malbec so I eliminated that. It didn’t have enough Spanish sensibilities so I eliminated Tempranillo as well. There wasn’t enough evidence of rotundone so I axed Syrah which left me with Merlot (Bordeaux varieties). Despite the firm structure, the fruit was just too generous for me to place it in the Old World. So I called 2017 Merlot from Napa Valley. Close! FWIW, this pour came from a half-bottle.
v17. Well done!!! Newly cut cedar and barreled wine nose. Fresh, rich, black currant and cassis nose. Long, slightly chalky, smooth mocha and soft leather finish. Love it!!
v17. Well done!!! Newly cut cedar and barreled wine nose. Fresh, rich, black currant and cassis nose. Long, slightly chalky, smooth mocha and soft leather finish. Love it!!
Oct 18th, 2026