2021 Bella Oaks Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Le Génie
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Tasting notes
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot. Certified organic. Deep purple. Floral, tangy nose with rich blackcurrant. Deep, dense palate with sweet fruit and velvety-soft tannin – and lots of it. Neat finish. (SCJ)
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Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
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Composed mostly of fruit from younger vines off the Bella Oaks estate but incorporating a bit of purchased fruit as well, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Le Genie is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot. Scents of ripe cherries and milk chocolate join dried spices and vanilla on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is plush and easy drinking without being simple or lacking structure, even if it lacks the length of the top bottling.
The second wine from this great estate, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Le Genie is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a beautiful wine in its own right, with a ripe, full-bodied, sexy, yet also pure and elegant style. Cassis, currants, violets, dark chocolate, and spring flower notes all define the aromatics, and it's a riper, softer, sexier wine compared to the Grand Vin that's already impossible to resist. Drink bottles over the coming decade.
The 2021 Le Genie is a new entry-level bottling from Bella Oaks. Spice, mocha, new leather, licorice and chocolate all build effortlessly. This juicy, open-knit Cabernet Sauvignon is an absolute delight. The long, resonant finish is a thing of beauty.