Clos Saron 'Taken From Granite' Soleil Cabernet Sauvignon Renaissance 1999

This is one of the incredible vintages of Cabernet that was made at Renaissance when Gideon was making the wines and Saron was the vineyard manager. The best bottles have been 'rescued' and re-labled for these limited releases, which is a very involved process given Gideon and Saron are no longer welcome at Renaissance after leaving the cult. So they are sadly nearly towards the end of these reclaimed releases. They are among the most impressive older California Cabs I've had, and I've even tasted them alongside Latour of a similar age. The Clos Saron was the favorite. From vines planted at 2200 feet on granite, southwest facing. Sagebrush and tertiary notes with plum, cherry, and cedar. Umami and savory complexity with resolved tannins. I would note that some of the corks are on the softer side so take care when opening. I recommend using a two-prong cork puller. Well worth the extra effort, however. Jonathan Kemp