2012 Revana Family Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Terroir Selection, Napa Valley.
Dr. Madaiah Revana’s Revana Family Vineyard has gone from a luxurious boutique wine to a long term staple elite winery with both his Napa estate and his Alexana Willamette Valley, Oregon offerings becoming serious world class wines, with his Thomas Rivers Brown made Cabernets being right up there with Napa’s top cult legends. Thomas Rivers Brown (Schrader) came on board in 2011, taking the reins here from Heidi Barrett of Screaming Eagle fame, and has taken Revana to the next level with 2012, 2013 and 2014 all looking to be classics. In the 2012 vintage, with an exceptional and large crop, Revana added a second wine, similar in concept to what is common in Bordeaux, this wine know now as “Terroir Selection” is a slightly more approachable version, though not lacking in quality and character, it is this wine I tried recently and will highlight here, it’s a beautiful full bodied wine with loads of dense opulent fruit, refined tannins and wonderful length, it may not be up to the Estate in total, but it is an impressive effort in it’s own right. Deep black/purple with garnet edges this 2012 Terroir Selection starts with acacia flower, smoky sweet oak shadings, along with blackberry, creme de cassis, black cherry and blueberry fruits at it’s core, plus cigar wrapper, violette, vanilla bean, mocha and lingers with anise, cedar and sweet currant. This ripe and lavish Cabernet Sauvignon screams Napa Valley and is clearly a post modern style wine, but you can see at it’s heart a wine that will continue to develop nicely for another decade, gaining refinement, elegance and charm. This wine shows a substance and richness that will thrill Napa fans and old school fans will admire the balance, complexity and structure as well, this wine has plenty of palate impact and will light up robust cuisine meals. As good as this one is drinking, be sure to look for the 2013, now on the market, and the 2014, which will be out soonish, as they look to be vintages to remember, keep your eyes peeled!
($90 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
