2010 Wallis Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon screams Diamond Mountain in its dark fruit, tar, spices, smoke and incense. Elements of exotic wildness are woven throughout this powerful, intense, tannic wine. A radiant finish supported by firm tannins leaves a lasting impression. The 2010 is likely to require a few years in bottle, but there is little doubt this is an exciting wine in the making.

Tough and hard, this is a Cabernet that tastes old fashioned with its dry, tannic astringency. It certainly marches to a different beat, even for the Diamond Mountain District that’s known for difficult tannins. Will it age? There’s a solid core of black currant and green olive flavor that suggests it will. Hold until 2018, at least.

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate bursts from the glass with loads of blue and black fruits, grilled savory herbs licorice, ash, smoke and new leather. Today the tannins are imposing to the point of making the wine hard to read. The 2010 was also massively tannic when I tasted it from barrel last year, but the tannins were better balanced. This is another wine that is going to require patience.

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate bursts from the glass with loads of blue and black fruits, grilled savory herbs licorice, ash, smoke and new leather. Today the tannins are imposing to the point of making the wine hard to read. The 2010 was also massively tannic when I tasted it from barrel last year, but the tannins were better balanced. This is another wine that is going to require patience. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2026. These two 2010 Cabernet Sauvignons from Wallis were both massively shut down and virtually impossible to evaluate. I am not sure if that is simply the personality of the vintage asserting itself, or if the wines have closed down in bottle, but either way the 2010s are impenetrable at this stage and are likely to stay that way for at least a few years.