2008 Hundred Acre, Kayli Morgan Vineyard, Napa Valley, Bottle (750ml)

RP97 "Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard has a very pretty rose petal and kirsch-scented nose with a core of red and black currants, black raspberries and oolong tea with hints of truffles and iron ore. The palate is full-bodied, exquisitely textured and wonderfully vibrant with tons of energy and a very long, lively finish." LPB for WA Dec 2018

VM96 "Bright medium red. Subtly complex aromas of black raspberry, blackberry, dusty cocoa powder, toffee and licorice; I often find a Pomerol quality to this wine, despite the fact that it's 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Wonderfully suave and seamless, with a thickness of texture leavened by firm acidity and a hint of herbs. Really lovely class and energy here, in spite of its almost confectionery sweetness. More tightly wound and delineated than the Ark, with darker berry, plum, licorice, toffee and flavors enlivened by minerality and a touch of herbs. This still-youthful wine has loosened up a bit since I last tasted it as part of a spectacular horizontal tasting two years ago and finishes quite harmonious, with serious ripe tannins and integrated acidity. As ripe and thick as this is, there's a soil-driven, savory, claret-like character that's captivating. Offers a lighter touch than the Ark. This held up beautifully in the recorked bottle, showing a liqueur-like, velvety sweetness without ever becoming heavy." ST for VM May 2018
"Proprietor Jayson Woodbridge makes some of the most unique, deeply personal wines in Napa Valley. Very late harvests and minimal intervention in the cellar, including no rackings until bottling, are just some of the choices that inform these wines. Woodbridge’s vineyards are in St. Helena (Kayli Morgan), the lower part of Howell Mountain (Ark) and Calistoga (Few and Far Between). Woodbridge is less reliant on outside consultants than many of his colleagues, so the wines bear very specific signatures that are unlike those of other wines being made in the Valley. The late harvests give the wines super-ripe fruit that can at times veer towards sweetness, but it is the extreme silkiness and finesse of the tannins that differentiates these wines. Woodbridge believes wines must be ready to go upon release and frowns upon decanting or advance aeration, which he doesn’t think should be necessary. As outstanding as these wines can be upon release, the reality is that the wines have also proven to age exceptionally well. These no-holds-barred Cabernets aren’t for everyone, but they are compelling and highly individualistic, just like Woodbridge himself." AG for WA Dec 2011