2018 Fairchild Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Stones No. 3 Tench Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Stones No. 3 slowly unfurls to reeal a gorgeous perfume of dark chocolate-covered cherries, violets, cinnamon toast and clove oil, over a core of mulberries, blackcurrant pastilles and stewed plums, plus a lifted hint of raspberry leaves. The medium to full-bodied palate is an iron fist in a velvet glove, packing in layer upon layer of black and blue fruits with lots of exotic spice and floral layers, framed by wonderfully plush tannins, finishing long and fragrant. Aged in 100% new French oak, the fruit here comes from Perrarus Block 3 (Tench vineyard), located in Oakville.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Lastly, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Stones No. 3 comes from the oldest vines in the Tench Vineyard and was brought up in mostly new barrels. More unevolved notes of blueberries, raspberries, crushed violets, lead pencil, iron, and graphite give way to a huge, rich, full-bodied wine that has some obvious minerality, loads of floral nuances, polished tannins, and a great finish.
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Stones No. 3, from Tench, is a huge, searingly tannic wine loaded with dark fruit, oak and heavy torrefaction notes. Inky and powerful, the No.3 is impressively endowed in terms of concentration. At this stage the tannins are pretty forbidding. This is an especially austere, brutish wine. I am not sure Tench has the inherent qualities to make a wine at the level of the best bottlings in this lineup.