Robert Hunter, Hunter Farms -
I guess this winery is defunct. They specialized in sparkling wines. I had a few, along with some Malbec. The sparklers were good but nothing special. The list prices were crazy high. At steep discounts, they were decent value, in part because they had some bottle age. The Malbec I had was mediocre, have one bottle left… it’s younger. Don’t remember what I paid for this, but it was not a lot. I wasn’t expecting much. It’s a shocker, on the positive side.
Deep ruby color to the rim. The aromas offer intense small black fruits, currant, blackberry and a hint of blueberry. The palate is rich, firm, offering excellent balance. There is a tiny note of green, but far more pure, vivid intense fruit… as if a blend of mostly Napa with some Alexander Valley blended in to add another dimension. This borders on opulence, without going overboard into syrup. The finish is unusually long, especially for a big cab at only 15 years, now with some red fruit adding to the cornucopia. My only bottle, this is a beauty that is probably still a little short of peak, but not a bad time to open it. Local potatos and celeriac are coming; a generous handful of local watercress will help complement this, along with some local chicken that was good the night before last, will be better tonight. I’m now sorry that these folks are apparently not producing… would love to know where the grapes go and if somebody’s making Cabernet from this vineyard. Board members??? Please??? Rated 92.5, 1 - 2 points of improvement likely.
Dan Kravitz