Abreu - Cabernet Sauvignon Las Posadas Howell Mountain 2013

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Abreu is now calling his vineyard on Howell Mountain (a tract of 33 acres with 15 planted) Las Posadas, after the road high on the mountain that seems to be the Fifth Avenue of Howell Mountain vineyard sites. The 2013 Las Posadas Proprietary Red was unreal from barrel, and that extraordinary Midas touch exhibited by Grimes and Abreu has extended to this wine out of bottle, which is a showcase for Howell Mountain and the meticulous viticulture and winemaking of Abreu and Grimes. Inky purple to the rim, with an extraordinary nose of sweet mulberry, intense graphite, scorched earth, smoldering wood charcoal, and massive blackberry and cassis fruit, this intriguing and provocative wine also throws in hints of licorice and black truffle. It is extremely rich, full-bodied, and nearly an out-of-body experience. Look for it to improve in age for 40 to 50 years. I can see consumers opening it circa 2065 to 2075 and saying, “Wow – what a great vintage this must have been!”"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Powerful, intense, and packing an equal punch on the nose with its pine, mint, eucalyptuses, vanilla and dark berries. Incredibly concentrated, tannic, but quite refined. This is clearly the longest lived wine from the Abreu portfolio. Patience will be needed for this rich, powerful beauty. You’re going to need to give it at least a decade, but you’ll be amply rewarded for your patience. With time, as the tannins soften, this could become a markedly better wine. The wine was produced from a blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit Verdot, 12% Merlot and 7% Malbec."

DECANTER: "This blend of five Bordeaux varieties is the most striking and nuanced of Howell Mountain’s super-expensive cult wines. Powerful and structured, impeccable balance. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040."