2013 Sullivan Family Vineyards Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

It's a lovely Saturday in autumn, with bright sunshine and crisp, cool air, perfect college football weather and perfect Cabernet weather!  Tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2013 Sullivan Family Vineyards Rutherford Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, one which a number of critics have described as a wine for the ages.  Now call me skeptical, but I am still hearing critics raving about how awesome the 2012 Napa Valley Cabernet vintage was, and in my experience I haven't been all that impressed with the '12s, they certainly are no match of the '07s which are now
reaching their prime.  And now I'm hearing critics rave about the '13 vintage, it was even better than '12! (in my opinion that's not such a feat, but I digress).  So before I go full on cynical, let's give this one a try.

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity and a classic inky center.  The nose is nice, with some nice smoky mineral note over a thin layer of ripe black fruit.  The taste is quite nice, with some ripe blackberry and cherry up front that transitions to some notes of rhubarb, spice box and dark chocolate midpalate.  The finish is quite nice, with the fine grained tannins providing a nice foundation for the long, smooth dry finish.

Overall, this was a very nice example of a quality Napa Valley Cabernet that I rate as an 8.5, with opportunities to improve with some time in the cellar.  It was also a good value for $30 from Wines Till Sold Out.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic pairing of thick Angus New York Strip grilled Pittsburgh style, with some grilled purple asparagus and a baked potato.  A nice big Cabernet like this one is the perfect complement to a nice steak.  Cheers!