Colgin - IX Estate Proprietary Red 2016

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "The 2016 IX Proprietary Red Estate is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple, it comes strutting out of the glass with flamboyant Black Forest cake, blueberry compote and plum pudding notions plus hints of spice cake, unsmoked cigars, menthol, licorice and dusty soil and accented by wafts of tar and black tea. The palate is full-bodied yet incredibly poised and vibrant with amazing freshness and very fine-grained, very firm tannins. It possesses the most provocative earthy sparks, providing arresting depth to the very long, beautifully perfumed finish. Stunning." (Lisa Perrotti-Brown)

JAMES SUCKLING: "Aromas of blackberries, black truffles, burnt orange peel, forest floor and blueberries. Decadent. Full to medium body. The tannins are so tight and dense with super fine and caressing texture. An amazing, mesmerizing wine. Drinkable and glorious, but better after 2022."

JEB DUNNUCK: "Another perfect wine is the 2016 IX Estate, which is made from 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot, all from the hillside vineyard at the estate, high up on Pritchard Hill. It’s another ethereal, pure, seamless wine that does everything right. Huge notes of crème de cassis, ground herbs and tobacco, graphite, chocolate, and spring flower notes all emerge from this full-bodied 2016 that has building tannins, incredible depth of fruit, no hard edges, and a terrific finish. I wrote “wow” three times in my notes on this beauty. Hide bottles for 3-5 years if you can, and it’s capable of lasting for 3-4 decades. It’s another magical wine from winemaker Allison Tauziet that just could not be any better."

FALSTAFF: "Erde, kalte Kohle und Asche verleihen der Nase einen sehr viszeralen Charakter, der auch subtilen Noten von Heidelbeeren Platz macht. Am Gaumen ist er sehr konzentriert, mit dichten Tanninen, die sich bereits zu einem üppigen Geschmacksbild glätten. Die Finesse und die beginnende Entwicklung sind großartig: Es wird erdiger und es zeigen sich schöne Anklänge an Erde, Kräuter, Schokolade und Tabak. Im Abgang zeigt sich erneut die üppige Heidelbeere."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Lush and warm in feel, with gorgeous fig, black currant and dark plum fruit that rolls through in harmonious waves against a backdrop of loam, alder and smoldering cast iron notes. Not shy on power, latent cut and inner freshness, this just needs time to unwind fully. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2021 through 2038. 1,800 cases made."

DECANTER: "This is quite intimidating on the nose, very subdued, with lurking plum and blackberry fruit. But the palate shows that the wine is evolving. The attack is reasonably fresh, with good concentration and acidity, and its lively, peppery character exhibits a lighter touch than the 2018. Balanced and long."

JANCIS ROBINSON: "Real breadth and interest on the nose. Lots of finesse and complexity. Lots of fun and garrigue. Nice savoury quality with definite herbs and carries its alcohol well. Long and just not too hot on the end. Sweet ink and a very cool finish. Tannins very perceptible."