Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 / 750 ml.

Togni’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is quite dark and powerful, but also very much medium in body. Graphite, smoke, savory herbs, mint, leather and a core of inky dark red and purplish fruit infuse this deep, beautifully layered Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2014 is a wine built on energy and aromatics that won’t hit its stride until at least age ten.

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is wonderfully savory and mineral, with a host of graphite, liquefied rock, floral and dark stone fruit notes that open up in the glass. Energetic, crystalline and beautifully focused throughout, the 2014 exudes class from the very first taste. Stylistically, it is a bit less generous than the 2013 was at the same stage in its life. This hypothetical blend is every bit as striking as the individual component lots suggested when I tasted them this past spring. Philip Togni adds that a larger than normal crop stretched out the harvest. Today, the 2014 is shaping up to be another uber-classic wine from Togni.

The flagship wine, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate from his vineyard high on Spring Mountain is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. It seems slightly more approachable and civilized for a young Togni wine, with a dense ruby/purple color, loads of blackcurrant, licorice, and graphite, some earth and spice, but very subtle earth nuances. It is full-bodied and rich, but the tannins are well-integrated and don’t scream as loudly as some vintages of Togni can. For Togni, this is probably one of his more forward and precociously styled Cabernets. It will probably approach drinkability in several years, but don’t discount its aging potential, as this easily has 20–25 years of cellaring potential.