- 2019 Black Sears Cabernet Sauvignon Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (4/2/2025)
I have had this wine twice in the past 9 days! First t the Big,bold and youthful offline in New York City, where it showed extremely well and was a WOTN for two or three other people. It was double decanted it after I got to the restaurant, so about 90 minutes. Today, I decanted it an hour before a dinner of reverse seared and then grilled at 700 degrees porterhouse with Ottolenghi's cauliflower in a curried cheese sauce and then followed it for 3 hours. This wine is ready to go and the tanins are relatively resolved for a Thomas Rivers Brown Howell Mountain Cab. The nose is exressive red fruit. There was a tiny bit of acetone on the nose but it disappeared quicklpy. The palate is fruit melange with an interesting citrus component that seems like orange. Roasted meat juice. However, no Howell Mountain pepper, which I have gotten on Black Sears Zinfandel from its "other" vineyard at the top of the mountain. Although this wine is surprisingly drinkable despite it's TRB/Napa/Howell Mountain genetics, it also has years of stuffing left in it. My guess is that it will be better in 2030, and probably even better in 2035. Maybe in 2041 on my 90th Birthday. I woudl actually give it a 93 or 94 rating today, but it will move to 95 or perhaps poke its nose above that to 96 at its peak. (95 points)
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