2009 Sheldon Wines, Weatherly Cuvee, Old Vine Field Blend, California.
This vintage of “Weatherly Cuvee” is 50% Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Calistoga Petite Sirah from vines that average 70 years old and was fermented on Viognier skins and aged in neutral French oak barrels. It is really hard not to love this wine just for the label and elegant wax capsule, but the wine inside is stunning and full of fruit, life and charm with violets, blueberry, sage, tobacco leaf, blackberry, plum and cassis all bursting from the glass. This perfumed and medium weight red shows fresh red, black and blue fruits and has excellent balance and length with touches of earth, spice and mineral. This is a great drinking wine now, though I should think a bit of cellar time with have rewards as well, the Sheldon’s are really making some fantastic wines and this one is especially pleasing and graceful.
($42 Est.) 93-94 Points, grapelive