2016 The Debate Cabernet Sauvignon Denali Vineyard

Made from 100% Cabernet, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Denali Vineyard sings of black cherries, warm plums, blackcurrant cordial and mocha with hints of charcuterie, tapenade and dried herbs. Medium to full-bodied, it has a lovely earthy/mineral character coming forward in the mouth, with refined, firm, fine-grained tannins and a lively line, finishing long and mineral laced. 100 cases produced.

Lastly, and I think the star of the show, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Denali comes from a vineyard in St. Helena and, like all the wines here, was fermented all in barrel then aged just under two years in 70% new French oak. This brilliant wine offers loads of crème de cassis, graphite, scorched earth, and hints of chocolate as well as a seamless, ultra-fine, layered style on the palate that keeps you coming back to the glass. With fabulous balance, full-bodied richness and depth, this beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon is going to benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for two decades. It’s just another terrific wine from a great vintage and a great winemaker.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Denali is powerful, dense and explosive. A wine of real impact, the Denali is not exactly subtle. That much is obvious. Even so, the 2016 has a lot to offer. Grilled herb, leather, smoke, tobacco and licorice are nicely layered into a Cabernet built on size and structure. I would give the 2016 a few years in bottle to fully come together.