Bella Oaks, Napa Valley, 2017

Such a classy nose, straight out of the gate, with complex plum, red cherry and mulberry fruit, a of hint of the floral and the snap and sap of freshly broken branches and bay. On the palate, the feeling is keen, pliant and harmonious with tremendous poise and control. The polish and perfection we’ve come to expect from Bella Oaks is punctuated by a sense of brittle energy at the core, a tannic grip that is granular and textural, present but not overpowering. Commanding but not weighty. A triumph!