2009 Wallis Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

A great follow-up to the winery’s 2008, this continues a roll of classy Diamond Mountain-based Cabs from Wallis Family. It’s dry, softly tannic and likeable for its depth of blackberry, cherry, currant and cedar flavors. This straddles the line between immediate drinkability and ageability.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon flows with black cherries, plums, spices, tar and licorice. It possesses striking inner perfume and beautifully expressive fruit in a style that brings tons of elegance to Diamond Mountain. Layers of flavor build towards the impressive, textured finish. This is another terrific showing from Wallis Family Estate. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2024. Although Edward and Marilyn Wallis purchased their estate on Diamond Mountain in 1975, the first vines were only planted in 2000. Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown gives the Cabernet Sauvignon roughly 10 months in French oak barrels, 85% new.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is layered with dark red fruit, flowers, mint and licorice. This is a decidedly powerful style endowed with gorgeous focus and textural elegance, but the overall impression is one of relative suppleness for the appellation.

Good ruby-red. Liqueur-like, even exotic, on the nose, but not yet differentiated. Large-scaled, broad and primary, with darker fruit flavors than the 2008 version. This distinctly unformed wine is all baby fat today. A powerful and head-spinning cabernet with chewy, almost granular tannins. Impressive material here, but will this achieve the balance of the 2008?