2004 Spottswoode, Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Magnum (1.5L)

One has to go back to 1984 to find as tiny a crop for Spottswoode as the 2004. The extreme heat and subsequent early harvest caused some problems that year, but the quality was extremely high, although there wasn?t much of it ? only 1,532 cases were made. The wine, a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc came in at 14.4% natural alcohol. The wine is spectacular and falls right into my observations when I did the 2004 Northern California retrospective several years ago. Only 30% of the crop was actually used in this extremely hot vintage. Loads of big, sweet, floral-infused blackberry and cassis fruit are present in this wine, which is multidimensional, has magnificent intensity, terrific unctuousness, in a very Ch?teau Margaux style, despite the conditions under which is was produced. There is an elegance and fragrance, yet power allied to full body that is striking. This wine, while on a relatively rapid evolutionary track, should hit its peak in another 3-5 years and last 20-25.
Spottswoode, Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena