Bevan Tench Vineyard EE Red 2018

The 2018 Tench Vineyard EE Red Wine is based on a 60/40 split of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from a great, great vineyard on the east side of Oakville, just beside Screaming Eagle. Ample blue fruits, white chocolate, tobacco, and spring flower nuances emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied, concentrated, and incredibly sexy, with a level of opulence and hedonism that's not often found in the vintage. It's another blockbuster of a 2018 from Beven. Drink bottles any time over the coming 15+ years.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the 2018 Proprietary Red EE Tench Vineyard has a deep garnet-purple color. It explodes from the glass with bombastic scents of crème de cassis, baked plums and boysenberries plus hints of mocha, licorice, Marmite toast and sandalwood with a touch of star anise. The palate delivers mouth-coating, full-on full-bodied black fruit preserves flavors, framed by plush tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with a veritable firework display of exotic spices.

The 2018 Red Wine EE Tench Vineyard is even better in bottle than it was in barrel. This blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc soars out of the glass with stunning aromatic intensity and tons of textural depth. Ample and beautifully resonant on the palate, the Red Wine is a total stunner. Black cherry, plum, chocolate, licorice, spice and menthol build into the racy, sumptuous finish.