2024 Caterwaul Cabernet Sauvignon - Phelan Ranch750ml

We’ve had to change our thoughts about what age a vineyard hits maturity with the Phelan Ranch.  This remote, rugged hilltop site sitting above Lake Hennessey has demanded more attention to growing plants than growing fruit its first couple years of production.  After two very wet years that both featured cool growing seasons, this feels like the first vintage where the vines were firmly established.  The biggest hint at that in this wine is the quality of the tannin.  As with previous vintages, they are big and abundant but with the 2024, they are much rounder, sweeter and fully realized.  Composed exclusively from the Elizabeth block, the nose reflects the rugged terrain with brambly fruit, crushed stone, and striking minerality, layered with graphite, black cherry, blackberry, and a subtle note of warm loam. A vibrant thread of natural acidity weaves through the wine, lifting the aromatics and bringing remarkable energy to a palate of serious depth and concentration. Fine-grained tannins and a mineral backbone carry the fruit, while the finish gathers momentum, becoming more expansive and complex as it runs. There is an extraordinary amount to discover here and like with all great wines, this Cabernet rewards close attention today but promises even greater nuance and expression with time in the cellar.