Chateau Montelena Cabernet 2021

Pomegranate, plum and dried blackberry lead a lavish charge of ripe, dark fruit. The aromas remain elevated, with potpourri and black pepper initially, and then concluding with fig jam and cherry tobacco. The palate is bursting with a dynamic and seemingly haphazard array of fruit, acid and tannin, all tied together with fresh mint and graphite. There’s a beautiful, almost velvety, softness from the Merlot that rounds off most of the coarse edges and lends refinement. The baking spices really come into focus on the finish along with notes of earth and toasted almond. The tannins are chalky, rather than angular, and roasted hazelnut complements the fresh raspberry and black tea.