Colgin - IX Estate Proprietary Red 2013

The Wine Advocate: "Another perfect wine from Ann Colgin and her winemaking team is the 2013 IX Proprietary Red Estate, a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. An absolutely compelling wine, with notes of lead pencil shavings, spring flowers, blueberry, blackberry and cassis, it has the full smorgasbord of black and blue fruits, wonderfully integrated, toasty oak, acidity and tannin, a floral note that is unmistakable, and great richness, density and purity. It is an utterly exceptional wine and a tribute to not only a great vineyard, but impeccable winemaking and upbringing. It should drink well for 30+ years as well."

Jeb Dunnuck: " I probably would have rated the 2012 IX Estate a triple-digit score if it hadn’t been followed by this otherworldly 2013 IX Estate. One of the finest wines to ever pass my lips, this insanely good effort offers a complex, layered bouquet of darker currants, white truffle, iron, tobacco, graphite, and lead pencil. Possessing more than a passing resemblance to the 2009 Château Latour, it’s full-bodied, has a deep, concentrated mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and a great, great finish. It doesn’t get any better, and this legendary Napa Valley red can be drunk any time over the coming three decades or more."

Falstaff: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Blumig unterlegte reife schwarze Kirschenfrucht, Nuancen von Lakritze und Cassis, feine Gewürznuancen, ein Hauch von Nougat. Ungemein saftig, komplexe Textur, schwarze Waldbeeren, getragen von reifen, hocheleganten Tanninen, finessenreiche Säurestruktur, schokoladiger Nachhall, bleibt sehr lange haften, verspricht größtes Trinkvergnügen."

Lisa Perrotti-Brown: "Deep garnet-black in color, the 2013 IX Estate needs a LOT of swirling to begin to bring out notes of beef dripping, charcuterie, garrigue, mossy tree bark, and black truffles, giving way to a muted core of stewed plums, blackcurrant pastilles, candied violets, and dried mulberries. The full-bodied palate explodes with a powerhouse of black fruits and earthy layers, framed by super velvety tannins and amazing tension, finishing very long and multilayered. It needs time!"

The Wine Cellar Insider: "With a boatload of fresh ground spice, wet earth, perfectly ripe, sweet, juicy black fruits and smoke on the nose, the wine gets going. On the palate, the wine is full bodied, dense, rich, fleshy and equally, polished and fresh in its textures. The plush endnotes have a spicy kick and in spite of its low acidity, there is more than enough lift, making you want to refill your glass before it’s empty. The wine was made from a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. 2013 has to the best vintage ever for Colgin, and considering their incredible track record, that's really saying something!"

James Suckling: "The aromas to this are perfect with black truffle, sage, blueberry and wet earth. Changes all the time. Full body with lots of richness and fruit. The intensity is electric. Chewy tannins yet polished and silky. It lasts for minutes on the palate. A joy to taste (drink) now but it's made for long-term aging."

Wine Spectator: "A powerful expression of rich, detailed, polished Cabernet, with layer upon layer of blackberry, licorice, kirsch, graphite and savory herb flavors. Impeccably balanced and nuanced, authoritative and refined in the same sip. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2019 through 2025. 1,880 cases made."

Decanter: In this vintage, Cabernet Sauvignon formed small berries with thick skins, so the wines inevitably were powerful and tannic. Plums and blackcurrants dominate the nose, which also shows mocha tones. Plump, opulent, and very concentrated, this is nonetheless not overblown. It's still taut and youthful, with firm tannins. Assertive, it packs a punch and has a long finish.