Barnett Cabernet Sauvignon "Rattlesnake Vyd." Spring Mountain

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Rattlesnake Estate Bottled is a special effort, loaded with hedonistic black cherries and black raspberries, plus captivating hints of sage and mint. By far the most concentrated of the Barnett 2021s, it's full-bodied and rich yet somehow manages to be supple and elegant at the same time, with a long, refreshing finish. More approachable than might be expected for such a dark mountain wine, it shows no shortage of ripe tannins, suggesting at least two decades of potential longevity.

Bright and crunchy cherry fruit, plums, and wild herbs meld together with cocoa powder notes. Medium-bodied, showing fine-grained tannins and sweet cassis fruit, Damson plum, sage, thyme and rosemary with crisp tannins and a sweet cedar finish. Winemaker David Tate cold-soaks his grapes for 2-3 days, then ferments them in small bins and tanks and performs punch-downs and pump-overs 2 to 3 times a day over 18 to 22 days of maceration. The young wine is then pressed off into 93% new French oak barrels for ageing. Racked three times during its near-two-year maturation time.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Rattlesnake, Barnett's top wine, captures the essence of the house style. Inky dark fruit, mocha, new leather, licorice, chocolate, menthol and plum all build in the glass. This sumptuous, racy Cabernet Sauvignon has plenty to offer.