Dark in color with a dark berries nose. On the first sip right out of the bottle the wine first starts out on the front of the mouth as having some deep rich red berries which your just starting to appreciate and then bam right on the back of the mouth are some strong firm acidity. Almost to the point of being bitter. On the finish there are some tannins and some nice dryness but the acidity is the overwhelming presence in the mouth. If your going to buy this one, for my tastes, you need to either plan to breath it a minimum of an hour or plan on aging it. The LCBO site says it will keep until 2016 and I can believe that one no problem. After an hour of breathing the bitterness had passed and left you with the dark berries, in the mouth. The tannins become velvety and smooth and they build very nicely in the mouth and some nice dryness. We paired it with a striploin on the BBQ and it held up very well. I would give this an 89. For now the firm acidity is quite overwhelming. The fault here is mine, I did not leave enough time to properly breath this wine.
From the LCBO web site:
CHATEAU SMITH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 VINTAGES 280107 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 24.95
Made in: Washington State, USA By: Charles Smith Wines
Release Date: May 26, 2012
Wine, Red Wine 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content: 5 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry
Tasting Note
Supple and inviting, with complex flavors of dark berries and plum shaded with hints of bacon and star anise. The finish rolls along unimpeded by the polished tannins. Drink now through 2016. Score – 91. (Harvey Steiman, winespectator.com, Dec. 15, 2011).
