Brought to a Calif / Bdx blind tasting. Was the youngest wine of the evening by far and it showed in the sweetness of the red fruit up front but was well received. When served alongside the ‘16 W&M Shifflet Cab it’s downright AFWE in comparison but next to some older contemporarys it was a ripe baby with notes of red currant, cedar and graphite with firm tannins. The 12hrs uncorked in my hotel room was far from sufficient air so if you plan to Pobega one of these be forewarned. Really a nice compliment/contrast to the Shifflet Cab. Be happy you purchased some.
Wow, really liked the restrained balance on this wine. Clearly California, but the balance reminded me of a classical 80s Cab from the likes of Mondavi, Montelena, etc. Just lovely.
I bought 6 and received my order about a month ago, but I have been trying to hold off on trying one because I figured that they would be better in a year or two. I may have to crack one open sooner than that…
Rat, thanks for the note. This was my favorite red of our visit to see Will this past July. I plan to open one of these before end of the year and see what people think of it.
Here is my TN from last night’s bottle. I have a glass left for later, which I plan to enjoy. We did this blind last night, and there were several smart palates around my dinner table so we’ll see if anyone else wants to weigh in.
2016 William & Mary Proprietary Red Shifflett Ranch- USA, California, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District (12/29/2018)
Have not tasted this since the winery visit to see Will this past July, Opened tonight six hours ahead of the meal in order to get some air into it. Composing my note here with no food paired with the wine, and the only thing I am tasting right now. I really like this, as the core of this wine is blessed with terrific acidity, soil and a deep core of red fruit that is tangy and intense. There is an irony quality to the wine that frames the core. What is absent here, and the same quality I noted this past July, is oak and a thick, dark flavors. Truly, none of that here. Lots more air this will see before I serve it to a # of smart palates, wrapped in a bag so it will be blind poured, too. The best way to get a real perception without the bias. For what this wine shows now, it’s delicious…over dinner when we served this blind, some comments about oak cam into the discussion. Some wood did seem to blossom as the wine aired for the hours after I opened it, and yet I didn’t find the oak out of context nor the ripeness levels to be different than my original impression from when I first opened it. I very much dig this wine.
I’ll get a formal note up later but tasted blind. I called Napa cab / BDX blend. It was actually the gals that said BDX blend and I agreed. Ann & Jenn have very strong palates and they’re not to be messed with.
While it is fruit forward and flavorful it’s not over the line like some of the cult wines. Sweet oak and a black and red currant paired really well with the Flannery and wagyu.
Not sure this is true, Phil. Will does the front of the house stuff for RM but to my knowledge, Will does not make the wines. For sure, he knows the wines as he has been with TRB and Rivers-Marie for some time now.
Sorry, I knew that Will was associated with Rivers Marie, my bad if he is not the actual winemaker. But for sure he is the winemaker at William & Mary, it is his winery and label…
