The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.
News
The wines of 2014 have an immense sense of purity. The mild weather of the 2014 vintage produced wines with sophistication that beautifully balance elegance with true power. The superbly delineated flavors are both fresh and fully ripe. A harmonious quality is apparent in the suave texture of these wines. The 2014 vintage seductively draws you in, then piques your curiosity and keeps you returning repeatedly for more. The 2014 season followed the unseasonably dry 2013 vintage and began with one of the driest Januarys in recent history. It wasn’t until February came that we received the bulk of our wet weather. Despite all the references to a drought, what perhaps made an even bigger imprint on the 2014 season was the warmth we experienced in the winter. As both factors combined we began one of the earliest growing seasons since 2005.
As spring and summer unfolded, we saw marginally warmer temperatures all year long and yet we experienced very few heat waves. The vines set a beautiful crop, and it was no surprise that 2014 led to one of our earliest harvests, beginning on August 29th. Berries were plump and fresh as they were harvested. As the wines evolved in the cellar, we observed how their flavors span a broad spectrum- from powerful dark fruits, to classic and subtle Napa Valley herbal and earth notes, reminiscent of an earlier era. With their silky textures developing over the course of the fermentation, we extracted the wines using longer, slower macerations, adding to their nuance and length. The 2014 vintage comes in a sequence of stellar vintages. Following the classic structure of the 2012 and the concentrated nature of the 2013 vintages, the 2014 stands apart from its predecessors in that it captures the supple dense qualities of a warm vintage, married with the perfumed characteristics of a cooler vintage. Such qualities harken back to great vintages like 2005, and even further back to the age worthy 1995, as witnessed in our 1995 Colgin “Herb Lamb.”
Wine Description
The Story
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, IX Estate Napa Valley Red is distinguished by complex fruit interplays, a luscious nose of rustic herbs, iron, clay and black fruits, huge layers of flavor and supple, sweet tannins impeccably well-balanced. The number IX refers to the parcel number and is also significant as the date Ann and Joe were married: 9/9. The 2002 vintage was the first, of four vintages, from this property to achieve the highest accolade of “a perfect wine”. Each year the blend displays extraordinary intensity, a beautiful purity, and a remarkably long finish. Approachable when young, it ages most gracefully
Wine Information
The 2014 “IX Estate” exhibits a bouquet that marries richness with nuance. The vintage highlights the subtleties of each site. The classic black cherry and licorice at the foundation of this wine are threaded together beautifully with notes of Provençal herbs, iron mineral, and scorched earth. Fresh botanical herbal notes and savory bay leaf show the classicism of Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon itself. The complex flavors are pure and delineated; its immense subtleties are intoxicating. The seamless texture of the 2014 “IX Estate” is suave and smooth, such that its elegance belies its intensity. The 2014 “IX Estate” Red wine is a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 12% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot.