Lot 701 comes to us from a family estate on the west side of Oak Knoll, home to grapes planted in phenomenal dirt and produced by a winemaking team boasting first-class talent and pedigree (and scores from recent vintages in the upper 90s by Parker, if that tickles your fancy). Originally slated for a $130/bottle program, this wine showcases some of the best French oak I’ve seen all year, and drinks like a mountain/hillside wine due to the incredible drainage of those alluvial vineyard soils.
Absolutely explodes out of the glass with a soaring perfumed nose of cassis, purple flowers, and plum underscored by cocoa nibs and French oak. Phenomenal upon entry, the wine is strikingly balanced, with beautiful structure and delineation of purple fruits, cherries, and raspberries that drink like mountain or hillside fruit. The tannins and finish exhibit everything we love about the integration of French oak and Napa Cabernet.