In its inaugural vintage, this blend pf 51% Merlot, 22% Syrah, 22% Grenache, with some Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Cab Franc, and Malbec. The Sneak is founded by the youngest member of the Cline family, Henry, who is known for his rule-defying antics. Notes of black-peppered cherries, with teeth-grabbing tannins. Black raspberry is jammy rich, dusted with mocha-espresso. Well-structured, with depth of character.
An ultra-ripe perfume of underbrush and salted cranberry leads to vivid acidity. Juicy, black raspberry and a touch of coffee bean adds to a grainy, textured mouthfeel.
Sourced from this producer’s six estate vineyards, this bottling might seem comprised of the “leavings” of the various growing sites, but in fact it is a shining achievement from a challenging vintage. Superb purity of fruit is the key to its success, with delicious notes of dark cherries and blackberries with alluring spice accents and nascent savory undertones. Fruit, oak, acidity, and tanning are already perfectly integrated when this is given time to breathe, at which time it becomes breathtaking.
Fluctuating temperatures required that the fruit from this renowned site be picked at various points over an extended stretch, but the watchfulness and effort involved in this paid very generous dividends. Already impressively balanced and integrated, it shows complex fruit recalling stone fruits, ripe apples, and even tropical notes, spiced up with just a subtle touch of French oak. Ready now but poised for at least five years of improvement.
A floral carpet on nose and palate indicates jasmine, roses, peony, and hibiscus. Elegant, with an enlivening brisk acidity with a crème fraiche undertone. Notes of cranberry, passionfruit, and white cherry are well connected to a thread of wet stone, with a wash of marzipan on the finish.
A shadowed brooder, deep and delicious. Devil’s food cake and a charge of soy sauce fill the mouth. A woodsy mid-palate further defines a broad mocha finish, topped with rich plum pudding.
A gutsy ripe red, energetic, and armed with plum and spiced cedar. Built to last, and carries its weight well with structured, yet glossy, tannins. Anise, tilled soil, and Worcestershire sauce carry a savory, earthy tone.
Trivento’s 2022 Cabernet is more reserved and restrained than the producer’s blockbuster Malbec from the same growing season, but that’s a virtue depending on your preferences and what happens to be on your customer’s dinner plate. Deeply colored with plenty of flavor but actually only medium-bodied, with dark-toned fruit recalling cassis and black currents, it would pair as nicely with a steak salad as opposed to a steak.