The depth on the nose of this wine is both intriguing and enticing. More fruit-based than herbal, the Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot blended in are definitely lifting the dark berry and ripe cherry characters in both the nose and the palate. But don’t get me wrong, this is definitely Madroña Cab Sauvignon, with all the complexity we expect out of 40+ year-old vines. Black currants, hints of cocoa, a dash of herbal essence and loads of blackberry/cherry fruit envelop the glass while slight floral and vanilla spice bleed in through the edges. Bold on the entry, the wine fills every nook and cranny with a youthful richness (yes, I know this is an oxymoron both in wine and in people), seldom experienced in Cabernet. More black fruit “invades” the mid-palate while the finish lingers with pure cherry, blackberry and dark chocolate flavors. This vintage is anything but elegant (ironic, since our Cab Sauvignon is always about elegance!), but its sultry expression is going to turn more than a few heads