2nd wine from Buty labeled under the Beast series. 100% Cab. Deep purple color. Muddled nose of candied dark fruit. Palate is fresh and acidic. Shows typical Cab traits of plum and pepper. Decent grip and length on the finish. For $25 I prefer the offerings from Couvillon, or I’d rather drop $8- $10 and get Nelms Road or Substance. Easy drinker though. There is a notable and pleasant absence of oaky sweetness on this wine and it is versatile enough to pair with many foods.
Do you have any experience on the Buty wines Anthony? My old store picked up the cab and syrah and I’ve thought about trying them, but haven’t heard much about them.
I think they make one of the finest Champoux Cabs to be found from here in WA. The RedViva series is not my bag as I am not a particularly big fan of Cab/Syrah blending.
The right banker is nice and has some elegance, but I like their Cab a bit more.
These are fruit forward, big style wines, but not sno-cone syrup.
If you like whites, their Chard is more in the Chablis vein than a California style, and their White bdx blend offers crispness and is quite refreshing.
In a nutshell, I think they are producing Champoux juice second only to Andrew Will. Champoux fruit will often have a smokey character and Buty does a nice job taming that a bit.
Mike,
I have been a fan of Buty’s wines since I first laid a lip on the 02 Rediviva of the Stones. I agree with Anthony that both of their whites are very good quality although a bit pricey for American whites (for me it’s hard to buy American whites for $30 when there are so many muscadet, sancerre, chablis, and riesling of better quality for less than that…but I digress).
I have enjoyed the Columbia Rediviva’s (usually around 75% cab and 25% syrah) older vintages much more than the last few. They have seemed a bit oaky to me lately. The Rediviva of the Stones (approx. 75% syrah and 25% cab) has always been one of the wines I enjoy each year. Up until the 2006 vintage, this wine was made from Cayuse grapes and Caleb sort of put his own spin on the wine. I have not had the recent vintage that is all estate grapes.
The right bank blend has always been very tasty. I agree with Anthony that it shows a nice elegance and if you are hankering for a well priced RB’er, give it a shot.
I’ve had two bottles of the wine Anthony reviewed (the Hartebeest), but have liked it a bit more than he seemed to. I thought it was a great buy for $25, especially with flank steak.
Give a Buty a go, my friend!!
