2014 North America
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Ready, but will keep,
Bottles of this product are discounted by 30%. Price shown includes saving.
Pale to mid ruby. Pale rim. Old-fashioned California Pinot nose with more than a hint of the old Joseph Swan examples. Great for nostalgia. I wonder where the vineyard is? Totally seductive and ready. Why haven’t Californians snapped this up? Mushrooms and violets. And it tastes a good 10 years older than it is. Long and flattering but not sickly.
Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com (8th November 2019)
Pale to mid ruby. Pale rim. Old-fashioned California Pinot nose with more than a hint of the old Joseph Swan examples. Great for nostalgia. I wonder where the vineyard is? Totally seductive and ready. Why haven’t Californians snapped this up? Mushrooms and violets. And it tastes a good 10 years older than it is. Long and flattering but not sickly.
Jancis Robinson, JancisRobinson.com (8th November 2019)
Between 70 and 100 percent whole-cluster depending on the vintage, the wine is foot-trodden before going into a traditional basket press. With natural yeasts, the wine spends 10 months in 70 percent new François Frères barrels, is then racked off its lees and then undergoes a further eight months’ ageing in barrel, then one year in bottle prior to release. At 14 percent alcohol, this Pinot is perfectly formed, with bright red fruit and rose perfume alongside well-integrated and handled tannins. There is a density that is a nod to Napa, but a measured character that is rather more “Old World” in style.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
For laying down,
Bottles of this product are discounted by 10%. Price shown includes saving.
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is wonderfully savory and mineral, with a host of graphite, liquefied rock, floral and dark stone fruit notes that open up in the glass. Energetic, crystalline and beautifully focused throughout, the 2014 exudes class from the very first taste. Stylistically, it is a bit less generous than the 2013 was at the same stage in its life. This hypothetical blend is every bit as striking as the individual component lots suggested when I tasted them this past spring. Philip Togni adds that a larger than normal crop stretched out the harvest. Today, the 2014 is shaping up to be another uber-classic wine from Togni.
Antonio Galloni - vinous.com, Oct 2015
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is wonderfully savory and mineral, with a host of graphite, liquefied rock, floral and dark stone fruit notes that open up in the glass. Energetic, crystalline and beautifully focused throughout, the 2014 exudes class from the very first taste. Stylistically, it is a bit less generous than the 2013 was at the same stage in its life. This hypothetical blend is every bit as striking as the individual component lots suggested when I tasted them this past spring. Philip Togni adds that a larger than normal crop stretched out the harvest. Today, the 2014 is shaping up to be another uber-classic wine from Togni.
Antonio Galloni - vinous.com, Oct 2015
Opus One,
For laying down,
Dense, almost opaque in the glass with initial herbal/menthol top notes and clean oak/new leather aromas underneath, then in comes beautifully fresh fruit - dark cherry, blackberry and blueberry with a complement of vanilla and milk chocolate. There is plenty of firm but measured tannin here and great texture lifted by bright acidity. There is more savoury complexity of earth and forest floor on the palate and whilst the length is open and fresh the tannins gently nip in the finish so as not to reveal everything too early. A beautifully balanced Opus and elegance personified as we have come to expect from this leading estate.
Peter Newton, Private Account Manager.
Peter Newton, Private Account Manager.
Araujo Estate,
For laying down,
Bottles of this product are discounted by 30%. Price shown includes saving.
The wines from the extremely hot drought year, 2014, were just bottled prior to my visit. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon reflects the vintage’s precociousness and front-end loaded, flattering style. It is medium to full-bodied, shows beautiful fruit purity, deep black raspberry and blackcurrant fruit, moving toward blacker berries. There is a floral characteristic, spice, and a full-bodied, lush mouthfeel with silky tannin. Drink it over the next 25 years.
Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advicate (autumn 2016)
The wines from the extremely hot drought year, 2014, were just bottled prior to my visit. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon reflects the vintage’s precociousness and front-end loaded, flattering style. It is medium to full-bodied, shows beautiful fruit purity, deep black raspberry and blackcurrant fruit, moving toward blacker berries. There is a floral characteristic, spice, and a full-bodied, lush mouthfeel with silky tannin. Drink it over the next 25 years.
Robert M. Parker, The Wine Advicate (autumn 2016)
Ready, but will keep,
Warm weather through the growing season and aggressive thinning led to early ripening, and, atypically, harvesting petite sirah before zinfandel. To manage the extra concentration of lower yields, we limited pump overs, and kept press wines separate. This is one of the most structured petite sirahs we have made from Lytton Estate. Sixteen months in American oak added spice and complexity to the dark, layered fruit. Full bodied but balanced, the wine will develop well to 2023.
Ready, but will keep,
Fifteen years ago, Ridge planted this hilltop to zinfandel; as the vines matured, flavors intensi¬fied. Spring rain reduced this year’s crop, and a warm August brought early harvest. Smaller berries and lower yields meant concentration; for the first time all seven parcels were equally outstanding, and therefore included. This robust but approachable zinfandel is enjoyable now, or over the next six to seven years to 2023.
Ready, but will keep,
A mild winter brought February bud-break. Though there was some rainfall, the drought continued a third year, and warm summer weather prompted a fast-paced harvest. Twenty-six fermented lots were blind tasted for as¬semblage. Zinfandel yields were low, giving carignane and petite sirah greater prominence. Sensuous flavors support a rich tannin structure. This superb vintage will be enjoyable over the next 7-8 years.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars,
For laying down,
Brilliant energy from rich dense fruit and spicy floral tones on the nose. Blueberry, blackcurrant, strawberry – fresh and floral at the same time as rich, with cigar box, pepper and beautiful clove spiciness. Just a hint of something savoury underneath. The precision and purity on the palate will make you smile! Perfectly judged line of acidity to the vibrant fruit. Full bodied, powerful, and not overbearing at all, this is a joy to drink now, but will surely be at its best in another 10 years. Those that argue Cabernet is King would do well to show this to any non-believers.
Ben Grosvenor, Private Account Manager.
Ben Grosvenor, Private Account Manager.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars,
For laying down,
The 2014 S.L.V. is an exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, there’s a dense and concentrated core of dark berry fruit with notes of graphite, liquorice and menthol alongside. Full bodied but there’s a precision and focus here, achieved via the acidity and the ultra fine, silky tannins – feels like a T-Rex on a leash. Lots of refreshing acid and mineral motes on the finish. There is a great deal to like here, will require time for everything to align, drink 2021 – 2030+.
Martyn Rolph, Fine Wine Sales Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd.
Martyn Rolph, Fine Wine Sales Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars,
For laying down,
Very dense in its bright purple colour this is a great entry for Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars in 2014. The oak frames the dark, brooding fruit very nicely and the finish is already taking shape well. This is crying out for rare Bavette and a quick decant – exactly what I look for in my Napa Cabernets.
Gary Owen, Private Account Manager
Gary Owen, Private Account Manager
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars,
For laying down,
Often considered the more feminine of the two estate vineyards, this is an absolute beauty in 2014. Perfectly balancing polished red and black fruit with a fantastic lift of spice. The tannins are very supple and oak completely integrated with a finish that goes on and on. Really impressive again.
Fergus Stewart, Private Account Manager. Berry Bros. & Rudd.
Fergus Stewart, Private Account Manager. Berry Bros. & Rudd.
Ready, but will improve,
Pale in colour. The nose bursts with Damson, redcurrant, black cherry fruit with a hint of spice so redolent of a great New World Pinot. An expressive medium bodied palate, svelte and fluid. The age of the vines can be seen in the quality & depth of fruit, a finely grained tannic edge and lifted acidity. This structure of the 2014 with its Burgundian character (almost Vosne Romanee-esque!) should appeal to a wide audience. Jacques Lardiere has again added his magic touch and years of expertise to some of the best vineyards available to create a worthy successor to the debut 2013. This is a richer, denser offering than the 2013, structurally more serious and best drunk from next 5 + years. 2021 – 2027+.
Stuart Rae, Commercial Manager. Berry Bros. & Rudd.
Stuart Rae, Commercial Manager. Berry Bros. & Rudd.
Au Bon Climat,
Drink now,
Lively red fruit, with a smoky note from the stems (60%). Very aromatic and pure – a classic Au Bon Climat hallmark is the intense fragrance of the Pinots. Floral as well. Masses of ripe, soft red fruit on the palate, think redcurrants, cranberries, et al. Very supple tannins and a fine boned structure. One for Christmas lunch in a couple of years.
Fergus Stewart, Private Account Manager
Fergus Stewart, Private Account Manager
Light ruby in colour with some paling of the rim, this has pure and lifted red berry fruit aromas with a restraint and herbaceous note that is more commonly associated with Burgundian Pinot. The texture is silky, and the tannins fine-grained, with a supple and juicy coating. There is a spicy character that flows through the wine, which continues on the finish with a jasmine tea note. Drink now to 2028.