2013 Futo, 5500 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District

Blackberry jam, cloves, menthol, pine and new leather are some of the many notes that jump from the glass in the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon 5500. The flavors are totally alive, vivid and nuanced throughout. Most importantly, the balance of fruit, acidity and tannin is exceptional. The more I tasted the 5500 the more I think there is a real possibility it might one day be a better and more complete wine than the Futo. Here, too, the wine possesses nearly off the charts richness, power and extract. Graphite, menthol, cassis and smoke add the final nuances of complexity.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon 5500 is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot that ratchets up the level of intensity and opulence. Beautiful notes of black raspberries, blackcurrants, spring flowers, forest floor and loamy soil are followed by a rich, ripe, full-bodied wine with moderate tannins to shed. This vintage seems to have even more power, richness and penetration on the palate than the 2012, but there is also a vivid delineation and freshness to the fruit. Drink 2017-2032.