Raymond Vineyard & Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005

Time was, back in the 1980s, that Raymond made its bones producing some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignons from the Napa Valley. The partial sale of the winery 20 years ago, along with the passage of time, have made Raymond almost an afterthought in the culture of “Who’s Hot, Who’s Not”; which is shameful, because the Raymond family produces some of the best-wine-for-the-buck coming out of the Napa Valley today. This reserve is a prime example. There’s sweet blackberry aromas on a soft, round but substantial body that is balanced with beautiful fruit, minerality, and soft tannins. read more...The wine stood well after it was first opened, withstanding the ravages of being placed outside the refrigerator without benefit of a pump-out device. After a week, with merely a cork in it, the wine remained just as fresh as it was when opened, which portends well for aging up to 10 years or so. The grapes came primarily from Raymond’s St. Helena and Rutherford vineyards. The wine spent 18 months in 50 percent new French oak. The stated alcohol is 14.4 percent, and the pH reading is proof of that aforementioned balance, at 3.53. The better news is that there were 23,000 cases produced.    (hide)

FIRST NIGHTThe nose opens with blackcurrant jelly, a lot of blackcurrant jelly, plus a bit of plum. After a few minutes some cigar box and a hint of mint come through the fruit.The initial attack was black fruit and sour unripe plums. Alcohol was a little hot, the wine a little thinner than expected, medium rather than full bodied. The tannins were puckeringly dry. Finish was medium length.Based on the sharpness and the super-dry tannins, I expect big changes from day one to day two.SECOND NIGHTWhat a difference a day makes. The nose was still blackcurrant jelly, but now the sharpness and heat were read more...down and some vanilla made an appearance. Secondary smells followed, cedar and lavendar, and even here for a sceond and gone again roses. Nobody would smell this and think anything other than "Napa Cab."The firs tastes in this were, you guessed it, blackcurrant jelly, but instead of being joined by unripe plums like on night one, black cherries were the dance partner. Vanilla didn't actually cut in, just danced gently in the background, and vanilla and rose waltzed onto the floor for the second verse of the song. Tannins were soft and smooth. Wine was dry, but not puckering. Instead they just made a firm backbone, offering promise of cellar growth. Throughout night two the wine softened, getting a better more full-bodied mouth feel. CONCLUSIONThis was a good, not great but good, classic Napa Cab, all blackcurrants and vanilla. Raymond Vineyards avoided the temptation to over-oak this under-$30 wine, something I truly appreciate. Based upon the two day tasting, I think it will improve for a few years. Nobody will ever mistake it for a First Growth Bordeaux, but they will also not guess it came from the middle shelf at the grocery store. If you ev    (hide)

November 2008

No written review

April 2009

No written review

September 2009