Burgess Sorenson's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Iron, tar and a note of char accent this wine, made from an historic vineyard and named for the brand's winemaker of 41 years. Brooding in black fruit, it is supple and soft, benefitting from its additional time in bottle.

Primarily composed of fruit from the oldest blocks (10 and 11) in the estate's Sorenson's Vineyard, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Sorenson's Reserve is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon (from those two blocks), plus small proportions of Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot, all aged in 30% new French oak. The result is a medium to full-bodied wine with super-ripe flavors of cassis and dark chocolate, but it's not overly rich or textured, with subtle accents of toasted nut skin. There's a sneaky persistence on the softly dusty finish, together with an attractive licorice note, so perhaps this will be better in a few years than what I'm currently giving it credit for.

Juicy and ripe with notes of black and blue fruit, violets, bay leaves, licorice and cloves. Full-bodied with a fresh, succulent profile, but falls away at the finish. Drink or hold