Abreu - Cappella Proprietary Red 2013

WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Smoky, mineral driven nose with charcoal, plum, blackberry, flower, vanilla and liqueur notes. Elegant, energetic and concentrated, with a sweetness and purity of fruit, the finish is all about the dusty tannins and fresh, clean blackberries that stick with you. The wine was made from a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot and 6% Merlot."

WINEADVOCATE: "The Cappella, which usually has at least 35-30% Cabernet Franc in it, looks absolutely fabulous now that the 2013 Cappella is finally in bottle. They only made about 206 cases of it, so it’s a small cuvée from this vineyard on the back streets of St. Helena. It displays sweet espresso notes, loads of white chocolate, blackberry, Asian spice and incense. It is full-bodied and opulent, with the tannins surprisingly silky and well-disguised, which is somewhat unusual in this vintage of extraordinary power and density. This is a 35- to 50-year wine."

ANTONIO GALLONI: "A deeply intriguing wine, the 2013 Cappella is a dark, sensual beauty. Silky and surprisingly approachable for the vintage, the Cappella is the most accessible and open-knit of the Abreu 2013s. There is no shortage of tannin, but all the elements are impeccably balanced throughout. In a year that produced huge, tannic wines, the Cappella is about finesse. Inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender and mint blossom gracefully in the glass. The Cappella will require the least amount of time in bottle of the 2013s, but there is no shortage of stuffing, that much is obvious."