Juicy black currant, eucalyptus leaf, açaí berry. Wild mulberry, dusty earth, black licorice. A tightly wound and pure-fruited attack led by tart blackberry, dark cherry, plum, and blueberry skin booms with incredible youthful energy as it converges with shaved cedar, dark roast coffee, and bittersweet chocolate. Hints of redwood, dried mint, and young tobacco fervently emerge bringing a range of clean natural charms that intertwine with exotic spice notes of anise, cumin, paprika, and dill. Expressive floral tones of wild lavender, crushed violet, and blooming iris complement wafts of sweet aromatic perfume that floats above complicating impressions of rusted iron and volcanic soil. Incredibly tense, serious, and structured on the palate while clearly still incredibly young; exhibiting outstanding restraint and a pronounced gripping texture that fills out with each additional hour of air. Medium plus in body with powerful tannin backed by high acidity. This 2017 "Jack's Ridge" Estate Cabernet Sauvignon by Cox Family Vineyards is an authentic, classically styled, and age worthy red from California's Mendocino County. 

Although widely known primarily for its cool climate subregions like the Mendocino Ridge and Anderson Valley, Mendocino County is also home to an incredible array of high quality moderate to warm climate viticulture. This bottling, crafted by Cox Family Vineyards using Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from a singular block of their organic estate vineyard in Ukiah, showcases just how serious and exciting winegrowing in this entire county can be. This powerful yet balanced wine has been shaped in an old school Californian style with pristine fruit and earth tones presented without excess makeup or manipulation. While enjoyable now with an extended decant this wine deserves more than a few years in the cellar to calm and integrate, and its outstanding structure promises that it will surely drink well for decades to come. This is a very serious wine and an unbelievable value to boot.