($60): Laurel Glen Vineyard, one of California’s great producers of Cabernet Sauvignon, seems to fly under the radar for reasons I don’t understand. Except for a tiny amount of rosé, Laurel Glen makes only Cabernet Sauvignon — and superb Cabernet at that — and they sell them at reasonable prices.  Their 2010 is truly outstanding.  Bold, but not flamboyant, dark fruit flavors accented brilliantly by earthy nuances expand in the glass.  It has remarkable elegance for a wine made from mountain grown fruit.  The fruit is ripe, yet not jammy and an attractive bitterness in the exceptionally long finish provides balance. This well structured wine needs several years of bottle age to round out, so if you looking for immediate satisfaction, try their 2011 Counterpoint and keep this one in the cellar.  My experience with Laurel Glen’s wines is that they develop beautifully, so cellaring the 2010 for a decade will reward you handsomely.
96 Michael Apstein Feb 4, 2014