Culmina Hypothesis 2017

This year’s big boy blend from Culmina blends 42% Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, all from their Golden Mile Bench estate’s Arise Bench. This is a current release at 2016, with 16 months in barrel (33% new) and 3 years bottle aging before release. Thankfully, as this big bruiser requires ample airtime and decanting upon opening. Roasted meats, charcoal, toasted cedar lead the full, sluggish palate, drawing baked blackcurrants, ripe plum, black cherry compote, tobacco, black earth along its path. Tannins are ample and ragged, though now absorbing into the dense soup of black fruit.