Forbes named this their “Wine of the Week,” explaining:
There are a handful of names in the world of wine that instantly convey a sense of respect and accomplishment. The reds and whites crafted by these winemakers typically have the potential to age and evolve with grace, and reliably garner the praise of consumers and critics alike. Andy Erickson, Philippe Melka, and Thomas Rivers Brown are three that spring to mind when it comes to the topmost echelon of American wine. I’ll be focusing on Erickson in the coming weeks, so today, I’m featuring not one but two red Wines of the Week, one by Melka and the other by Brown. Considered side by side, they represent much of what makes the worlds of Sonoma and Napa Cabernet Sauvignon so incredibly exciting right now.
The Crescere Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 ($200), from the Reynoso Estate in Sonoma’s Alexander Valley, is the product of just eight barrels of wine—198 cases total. The property itself is 500 acres, though only 150 of them are planted to vines. Those acres are broken up into a number of different blocks, each based on soil composition, micro-climate, minute changes in exposition, and more. The result is that Melka has a wide range of pieces to work with when assembling the proverbial final puzzle.
The 2018 is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon with 12% Petit Verdot, the former fermented in concrete and the latter in stainless steel, all of it aged in 70% new French oak barrels for 22 months. All of that work has led to a wine of surpassing elegance—plush, rich, deep, and marked well-chosen French oak that will continue to integrate and evolve for years. This generous wine boasts aromas of coffee beans, cacao nibs, sweet vanilla gently charred along the pod, melted chocolate ganache, and kirsch. These precede a palate of depth and generosity, and while the oak is still absorbing, this is beautiful already, with candied violets, Amarena cherries enrobed in chocolate, distinct espresso flavors, black oranges, star anise, hot slate and gunflint, an almost blood-like note which lends delicious iron savoriness to this otherwise very generous and ripe wine, and plenty of blue fruit pulsing in the background. Enjoy it now after a stint in the decanter, or let it continue to evolve for another two decades.
Other critics and consumers have agreed, snapping up almost all of the tiny production at $200 or more.
Only two stores in California still have any (7 and 3 bottles), both at $200. The winery sold out at $200 as well.
