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Parker 100 points
Another perfect wine is Bevan’s equal part blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the 2012 Proprietary Red Sugarloaf Mountain. Notes of unsmoked cigar tobacco, forest floor, pen ink mulberries, blackberries and spring flowers soar from this inky/purple-colored 2012. The wine possesses great intensity, remarkable unctuosity and thickness, and perfect integration of acidity, alcohol, tannin and wood. Aged in equal parts new Gamba and Darnajou barrels, there are 225 cases of this fabulous wine. Drink now-2032.
As I wrote last year, Russell Bevan and his partner, Victoria de Cresenzo, are turning out truly mind-blowing, big, rich, majestic wines. Bevan Cellars has hit the bull’s eye with a bevy of incredible efforts that showcases fabulous vineyard sources. Many of these have not been exploited by others. A warning though – these are super-rich, dense, powerful, massive wines. While the tannins are elevated, they are silky and well-integrated, and the wines are neither heavy nor overbearing. Nor is Bevan afraid of alcohol, but he never goes over-the-top.
The bottled 2012s have all seen about 75% new Taransaud French oak barrels and the rest tend to be either Gamba or Darnajou, the latter probably the most difficult high-quality barrel to obtain because of the small production.