The 2017 IX Estate is composed of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Opaque purple-black colored, the nose is quite closed and shy to begin, slowly unfurling to reveal freshly crushed blackberries, mulberries and blackcurrants plus suggestions of dusty soil, bouquet garni, pencil lead and cast-iron pan with gentle wafts of sandalwood, cardamom, rare beef and black tea. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, strutting incredibly ripe yet super firm tannins, and it has lovely, uplifting freshness to help define all those black fruit and savory layers, finishing with epic length. Needs time, but this should turn out to be incredibly nuanced and long lived!

Blackcurrants, tobacco, gravelly earth, and lead pencil notes emerge from the 2017 IX Estate, which has a Chateau Latour-like austerity and class. Coming from vines around the estate, high up on Pritchard Hill, it builds beautifully on the palate and is full-bodied and massively concentrated, yet has stunning balance as well as polished, silky tannins. Enough can’t be said about the quality coming from this estate, and this is another magical wine that will stand up to the greatest Cabernets in the world. Hide bottles for 5-7 years (if you have more patience than I do) and enjoy over the following 40-50 years.

The 2017 IX Estate really speaks to the essence of this site high above Lake Hennessey. Rich, ample and full-bodied, with tremendous mineral and savory intensity, the 2017 has so much to offer. Graphite, menthol, licorice, espresso, spice, black cherry and plum emerge with some reluctance, but it is the wine's explosive energy that stands out most. The 2017 is a potent, brooding wine that clearly demands patience. Today, its mountain structure is especially evident.