A different beast, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) is more backward and reticent, and while it needs 4-5 years of bottle age, is packed with potential. Both black and blue fruits, earth, tobacco, and freshly crushed rock notes all flow to a full-bodied 2016 that has plenty of fine tannins, remarkable purity of fruit, and beautiful intensity and length. Do your best to give this some bottle age, and you’ll be rewarded with a phenomenal Napa Valley Cabernet that will keep for 2-3 decades.
Coming from Napa Valley, the 2016 Proprietary Red Wine is a blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, all aged in new barrels. This cuvée is made with the idea to be slightly more accessible and offers a St. Emilion-like feel in its blue fruits, tobacco leaf, crushed rocks, and cedary, spice-laced aromas and flavors. It’s full-bodied, has a layered, balanced texture, and terrific tannin quality. It’s another powerful yet elegant wine from Keplinger.
Stunning color in the glass, anelectrifyingnose showcases black currants, cassis, cigar box and red fruit.The palate is opulent, plush and structured with integrated sweet tannins showcasing notes of dark blackberry, black cherry, and bittersweet chocolate dance through an everlasting and strong finish.
The 2017 Sun Chase Vineyard Pinot Noir springs from the glass offering bing cherry, pomegranate, black raspberry, dried Provencal herbs, lavender and loamy rock. The mid-palate supports a dynamic chorus of savory notes, plush red and dark fruits, and a beam of acidity to support a long seamless finish.
The 2018 UV Vineyard Chardonnay lures you in with a seductive nose of roasted hazelnut, brioche, lemon curd, Asian pear, white lily and baked pastry crust. An ultra-silky entry, a beam of acidity carries through to the finish. Plush and broad, this wine shows layers of white flowers, lemon curd, pastry flour, toasted hazelnut and honey on an everlasting finish.
The 2018 Sun Chase Pinot Noir is a massive, complex, nuanced wine of black cherry, orange peel, pine needle, black plum, slate, black tea. The incredibly silky entry opens to a seamless palate with tremendous length, with flavors of plum, clove, forest floor, morello cherry, tangerine oil, and rose oil, which persist for over a minute following the finish.
The 2019 UV Vineyard Chardonnay is a gorgeous, intense, racy wine of great purity. The nose is layered with lemon curd, lemon zest, orange blossom, Asian pear, oyster shell, and raw almond. On the palate, the wine is ample, yet with great tension and drive, with acidity lifting flavors of lemon curd, hazelnut, fresh pear, and pastry flour with just a hint of fresh sage.
