Country: U.S.A. / Australia

Region: Napa Valley / South Australia

Vintage: 2018

Cépage: Cabernet Sauvignon (100%)

Size: 750 ml

Rating(s): 95 (RP); 97 (JS)

" A good portion, 85.1%, of this "Wine of the World" comes from America. In fact, the American component all comes from Napa. "There are some great vineyards going in here," Peter Gago informed me. "We are buying some fruit for this, but most of it comes off our own vineyards." By "own vineyards," Gago refers to the considerable land holdings of Treasury Wine Estates, which now owns such iconic Napa names such as Beringer, Sterling Vineyards and Stags’ Leap Winery. The major component of this component, 28%, comes from Rutherford, with the other components "cherry picked" from across the Napa region. So, that is the American wine part of this wine. The remaining 14.9% of this wine is from Australia—A1 grade Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon from South Australia, to be precise. Then the wine was fermented in barrel, like Grange, using 80% American oak and 20% French oak, 100% new. It was matured in the oak for 16 months. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 149 slips gracefully out of the glass with notions of wild blueberries, blackcurrant cordial and mulberries with an undercurrent of Indian spices, sandalwood, cigar box and dusty soil plus a touch of garrigue. Full-bodied, rich and decadently played in the mouth, it has firm, rounded tannins and bold freshness supporting the voluptuous layers, finishing long and spicy. The adaption of some of the Grange "formula" (for want of a better term) of winemaking seems to lend more of an Australian style to this wine, although there is no mistaking the Napa Cabernet fruit profile in all but the texture of the tannins, which are more typical of Australia. It's a true chimera!"

Lisa Perrotti-Brown (RP) - 02/21