I had the components (20s, 40s, 70s) of the 2021 Mac from barrel a year ago and this was the first time I’ve tried it in bottle, as it went there only a month ago. I was stunned by how integrated such a young wine was. Graeme has dialed back new oak to 60% (formerly 70-80%) and this may be the cause, or perhaps it is just the style of the vintage. The personality is closer (but better) to the great Mondavi Reserve Cabs of the 1990s (which were substantially MacDonald fruit, btw) than the Beckstoffer ToKalon personality, showing there are multiple ToKalon terroirs, not just one. As much as Constellation increasingly tries to limit the ToKalon moniker to itself, MacDonald is the clear standard bearer for this vineyard. Those of you on the list who will be offered this wine in a year’s time are in for a treat.
2021 MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville, $TBA
Tasted after 18-hours double decanted. Very deep purple color, as dark as any Mac I can remember. Full bodied, moderate to lower acid, moderate-plus tannins. Phenomenally integrated aromas of black cherry, fresh blackberries, graphite, with hints of cocoa powder, bay leaf and anise. The new oak entirely disappears behind the wall of olfactory fireworks. Already very balanced. The mouthfeel is elegant, the tannins smooth as silk. Given its been in bottle only a month, could firm up some in coming months, but who knows? I’ve had every MacDonald soon after bottling since the 2013 vintage and I’ve not had one this resolved. Drink anytime the next two decades. Easily in the league of the 2013 and 2018 and might even be better than those. 98pts
Great write up, as usual, Roy. Did you hear anything about what the brothers are planning for the release of the 2020? I know there’s not a lot to go around and they have been giving thought to how to handle the release.
My understanding is that they harvested prior to the wildfires and smoke. I’m a buyer as I trust them to make the correct decisions in maintaining the quality that we expect.
