By cork
Alluring and soft . . . silky smooth as cool jazz. Also rich in expression, never reticent and quietly confident. Not interested in being show-offy but still dazzling. Speaks up and never spoken down to. Personality that’s individualistic and independent yet with an appeal that’s universal and approachable. Takes time but never slow. Ready now to face the world but patient. All of this is a certain, and rare, kind of femininity and it is the 2012 CLOS PEGASE Hommage Cabernet Sauvignon, Tenma Vineyard. With so much masculinity going on in the red wines of Napa Valley and plenty of people to pay homage to the Y-chromosome, this Calistoga single-vineyard flagship Cab is a very pleasant tribute to the quieter though no less forceful voice in the crowd. Sexy and delicate notes of blackberries and blueberries and also plums on the nose, but it’s the smell of fresh cut violets that really draws you in. On the palate, a darker tone emerges, with emphasis on black fruit along with additional notes of cassis and dark cocoa. A touch of graphite adds complexity to the texture and we finish with a spark of red spice and pepper. Artists have been inspired by feminine curves and angles throughout the ages, from Raphael to Picasso to Modigliani and more—we’ll leave it up to you to decide which painting this is. Let the many colors on the canvas speak to you, and enjoy this alluringly attractive, sophisticated and multi-faceted Napa Valley Cab. –J.M.
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