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96 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This wine slipped through the a blind tasting with everyone mistaking it for a sumptuous first-growth Bordeaux. When told the identity of the wine, one of the Belgian tasters quickly announced he was going to "order 100 cases." I was quick to point out that (1) the wine is already sold out, and (2) less than 1,000 cases were produced. I have always thought this was a terrific wine, but it was outrageously delicious in this blind tasting. The wine boasts an opaque purple color, followed by a gorgeously sweet nose of blueberries and blackberries intertwined with smoky, toasty oak. The enormously opulent texture, viscous richness, and huge quantities of sweet, pure fruit were deftly balanced by just enough acidity and ripe tannin. This full-bodied, awesomely-endowed wine has never shown better than it did in this blind tasting against some of the greatest wines produced in Bordeaux. Although soft enough to be drunk, it promises to evolve for at least 20 years
Wine Description
The Story
Ann Colgin’s wines stand out as one of the most refined styles of wines produced in Napa Valley. They show distinctive purity of the ripe black fruits, refined tannin structure and extremely elegant flavor profiles. This wine makes no exception. The hundred percent Cabernet Sauvignon from the Herb Lamb Vineyard, has been the hallmark wine of Colgin Cellars from its debut in 1992.
In early 1990s, Ann made a long-term contract with the vineyard owners, Jennifer and Herb Lamb, that she had an exclusive access
to the top vine rows of this small, 7.4 acre, vineyard lying on an elevation of 600 to 800 feet on well-drained rocky soils of St Helena.
In hands of the legendary Napa Valley winemaker Helen Turley, who was winemaker for Colgin Cellars 1992-1999,these terroir-driven grapes were transformed into a wine that
caught the eye of the powerful critics and Colgin’s fame as one of the top-rated producers was written.
“Our winemaking philosophy has always been to express the true character of each unique vineyard site”, Ann Colgin explains.
The grapes are harvested during the night and go through three sortings,starting in the vineyards. The final sort takes place in the
winery, where 15 people will do the final grape by grape sorting before crushing the grapes. Moving the grapes, juice or wine is
done by gravity. The barrels, tanks and vinification equipment,along with the basket presses, are of the highest quality. Only the
finest neo-classical winemaking methods are used in concert with small yields, gentle handling, attentive sorting and meticulous
blending to capture the distinctive terroir characteristics of each Colgin wine.
We blend talent with terroir, tradition with technology and passion with precision to create wines with distinctive personalities
and a profound sense of place.” Ann Colgin sums up.
While the Herb Lamb Cabernet Sauvignon was for a long time thebenchmark wine of Colgin, the saga came to an end in 2007,which was the final vintage Colgin made this hailed wine. The declining health of the twenty-year-old vineyard made it difficult to continue to maintain the high quality level displayed in all of the other Colgin wines.
Wine Information
This up and coming producer is making 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Lamb Vineyard on Howell Mountain. Both the 1992 and 1993 are wines to seek out, although the tiny production means quantities are extremely limited. Both wines boast opaque black colors, and huge, sweet, jammy noses of cassis fruit, minerals, flowers, and new oak. Powerfully authoritative flavors that ooze glycerin and fruit extraction are also elegant and harmonious. The tannin is buried beneath an amazing amount of concentration. The 1993 finishes with slightly greater focus, delineation, and length, it's splitting hairs at this level. Both wines should drink well for at least 20 years.
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