2010 Chimney Rock Elevage

Medium ruby. Currant, cedar, licorice and mint on the nose, plus a whiff of underbrush; a bit lower-toned and less perfumed than the Stags Leap Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon but still with an intriguing violety topnote (from the Cabernet Franc?). The richest and densest of these three 2010s from Chimney Rock, with a lovely touch of chocolatey sweetness and an inky nuance enlivened by herbs, green olive and licorice. Fairly tannic and backward but not dry, finishing with sneaky length and lift. One senses the chocolatey Merlot in the middle but there's no rush to drink this. The Stags Leap Cabernet may have more definition and structure but this one is more fun to drink.