Ellman Brothers Blend 2018
- v94
- ws93
- jd92
Category | Red Wine |
Varietals | |
Brand | Ellman |
Origin | California, Napa Valley |
Andy Erickson - Winemaker
The 2018 Brothers Blend is an apt entrée into the Ellman line-up of wines. Approachable, and then some, it offers a deep, opaque violet cast, billowing with intense aromas of crème de cassis, blackberries, espresso and cigar box. On the palate, complexity abounds with lush red and black fruits, from cranberry and raspberry to black cherries and plums, giving way to notes of cacao, as well as hints of herbal and floral notes such as rosemary and violet. Incredibly soft and polished, it packs excellent density without a rough edge in sight. With mouth-coating tannins giving way to a fresh finish, it pairs instantly with your favorites on the grill from a nice boerewors or Presa Iberico, to the garden's bounty, like summer squash and zucchini.
Vinous
- v94
The 2018 Proprietary Red Blend Brothers Blend is dense, plush and explosive. A rush of black cherry, menthol, licorice, cloves and mocha gives the 2018 its exuberant personality. This fleshy, voluptuous red has so much to offer. Bright floral notes and a burst of red raspberry fruit punctuate the finish. This is a terrific entry-level red.
Wine Spectator
- ws93
Juicy and well-proportioned, with a mix of cassis, black cherry and blackberry fruit flavors that drive through with licorice root, sweet bay leaf and singed apple wood accents that are well-defined through the finish. There's lots of grip in reserve too, giving this an old-school edge. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best from 2023 through 2035. 756 cases made.
Jeb Dunnuck
- jd92
Lastly, the 2018 Proprietary Red Brothers Blend is the introductory wine and includes a touch of purchased fruit. It offers lots of ripe black cherry and blackberry-like fruit intermixed with toasted spices, graphite, lead pencil, and Asian spice-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, rich, mouth-filling, and expansive on the palate, it doesn't have the elegance of some of the pure Cabernet releases, but it brings plenty of fruit and is already enjoyable. I'd drink bottles over the coming 10-15 years.