Barnett Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain District

A tight, sturdy style, with dense earth, currant, pencil lead and herbal notes, this is a concentrated, muscular wine with lots of extra facets and depth, yet it’s bound by firm, minerally tannins and needs cellaring. Best from 2006 through 2012.

Barnett’s Spring Mountain winery, also home to the much esteemed Pride and Paloma wineries, produces limited quantities of Cabernet made from the cool recesses of mountain vineyards. Aged for 18 months, with a touch of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this California red leans towards Bordeaux in its complexity and elegance. Only after several hours of decanting did the deeper, rich fruits begin to express themselves. Dense, chewy and long on the complex finish, this Cabernet has great concentration and a briary, fresh taste to the fruit. A perfume of red raspberries on the nose and fine tannins on the finish attractively wrap this solid effort.