Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 (75cl, 14.9%)

An estate-grown Napa Valley red wine from Clos Pegase, bottled at 14.9% ABV in a 750ml bottle. The blend is Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant, with Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec. Fruit comes from estate blocks including the Haire section, with clay-loam soils, and Graveyard Hill, with rocky, well-drained terrain and generous sun exposure. The 2017 vintage earned a Bronze Medal at the 2020 San Francisco International Wine Competition and holds an aggregated critics score of 89 points on Wine-Searcher. The glass opens with cassis and black currant, then antique wood, cigar box, violets, sweet cedar, black licorice and wild sage. The palate is dense and fruit-forward, with ripe black cherries, plums and blackberries, then briar, black currant and forest floor, plus graphite, wet clay and seasoned leather. Tannins are firm but balanced by lush fruit and crisp acidity. The finish is lengthy, with graphite, dark berries and cedar.