Grown in the flatlands and benches of Alexander Valley, this Cab tastes more like a high mountain wine, with its firm tannins and flavor intensity. It’s quite fine, showing intense blackberry, cherry, black currant, plum, cocoa and violet flavors that are tinged with soft, dry herbs. Very beautiful now for sheer charm, it will develop bottle complexities over the…
— S.H.
(12/31/2009)
The home vineyard is in a cool, southeastern part of the valley, and you can smell the minerality in this crisp, young wine, grown in the fog. It’s exceptionally bright in steely tangerine, kiwi and pineapple flavors whose smoky oak veneer is in perfect balance.
— S.H.
(3/1/2008)
Deep, stewy red-berry and brown sugar notes get a little heat (and a little currant) on the nose; in the mouth, it’s got similar red-berry and toasty notes, and a creamy, velvety texture. Wants a little more acid to balance the vanillin fullness, but it’s sexy nonetheless. Has the same extracted-fruit quality as Hanna’s other Bismark Ranch offerings, with a percent…
— D.T.
(6/1/2002)
This mountain Cab is dependably hard in youthful tannins on release. That won’t stop most people from drinking it too young, but with its rich, deep cassis flavors, it would be a shame to pop the cork before 2010.
— S.H.
(3/1/2008)
Dark, spicy and deeply flavored, this Cabernet is dense and concentrated in blackberry and cassis flavors, with a stony minerality at its core. The fruit is so ripely expansive, it tastes sweet on the finish, yet the wine is utterly dry. It’s good now despite the hard mountain tannins, but should begin to blossom after 2014.
— S.H.
(8/1/2011)
Has classic Cab aromas of black currants, cherries and plums. Softly fruity, with velvety tannins and nicely etched acidity. Very drinkable, with charm and finesse. A pleasing wine that combines deliciousness and complexity.
— W.E.
(11/15/1999)
Balance and complexity are the hallmarks of this Cab from veteran producer Hanna. It’s deep and long in spicy, oaky blackberry and cherry fruit, while the structure is defined by soft tannins and good acids. Delicious now, and should hold for a decade.
— S.H.
(12/15/2007)