Mt. Brave Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 (750ML)

94 TP / 92 WS / 92 RP / 92 VM / 91 W&S

Deep ruby color; spicy berry nose; smooth and dense with black raspberry, cassis and plum; lush and ripe, balanced and rich with vanilla and sweet oak; bright and long. -Tasting Panel

A muscular, tight-knit style, with firm, dense, well-proportioned notes of dark berry, crushed rock and graphite. Impressively lively acidity keeps the flavors jumping on the finish, ending with an earth-laced red berry core. Drink now through 2030. -Wine Spectator

The star of the Mt Brave trio of new releases is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. There are nearly 5,800 cases of this fairly priced Cabernet. Blueberry, licorice, beef blood, tobacco leaf and forest floor aromas soar from the glass of this ripe, full-bodied, opulent wine. A blend of 87.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.5% Merlot and the rest tiny quantities of Cabernet Franc and Malbec, it was aged in 81% new French oak. The oak component is well-concealed behind the extravagant fruit. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. -The Wine Advocate

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder is the most overt and structured of these wines from Mt. Brave. Dark red and black stone fruits, spices, menthol, leather and cedar meld together in the glass. Powerful and ample in the glass, the 2012 possesses remarkable intensity. Big, chewy tannins support the ample finish. Today the tannins are a bit more dominant than the fruit, but the 2012 should find a bit better balance with more time in bottle. Dollops of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec round out the blend. This is the first vintage in which Malbec has been included. -Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Chris Carpenter blends this wine from the varied expositions of the Mt. Brave vineyard, an estate planted by Chteau Potelle at 1,400 to 1,800 feet and purchased by the Jackson family in 2007. Its a big wine with ample blue fruit layered over conifer scents and rustic, earthy tannins. With the immediacy and brash power of Veeder, this wine would mellow in a decanter, to pour alongside a grilled steak, though it will prove more accommodating with a few years in bottle. -Wine & Spirits

88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec. The 2012 growing season was near perfect, with ideal spring bud break and warm, steady days balanced by cool nights. The steady weather continued into the fall, resulting in optimal ripening conditions at harvest. The 2012 Mt. Brave Cabernet Sauvignon opens with notes of blueberry, rose petals and violets, which are balanced by a cleansing minerality and silky tannins. -Winemaker