Crown Point Relevant Red 2019
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Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The 2019 Relevant is an inspiring introduction to Crown Point. It aptly mirrors the attributes of the 2019 vintage - dark fruit, balanced, smooth structure, trademark Mediterranean spice - finishing with length and tension. The after palate is tremendously pleasurable, bringing notes of violets and rhubarb.
Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon,10% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Relevant Cabernet Sauvignon matured for 20 months in new, once- and twice-filled French oak barrels. Deep ruby, it features pure aromas of cassis, grilled meats, warm chocolate, dried herbs, roasted peppers and hints of violet. The medium-bodied palate is powdery and fresh, striking a balance between ripe blackcurrant fruit, classy new oak spices and alluring herbal streaks. It's a balanced, drinkable style of Cabernet that's a pleasure to drink! Best after 2022.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the reds, the 2019 Relevant is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon with the balance 10% Merlot and 5% each of Petit Verdot and Malbec. A ripe, fat, opulent, pleasure-bent effort, it has full-bodied aromas and flavors, lots of dark, chocolaty fruit, good balance, and a great finish. Brought up in one-third new French oak, it’s going to shed some of its baby fat over the coming 2-3 years and drink beautifully for over a decade.
Other Vintages
2020-
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
Wilfred
Wong -
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker
Roger Bower, the owner and visionary behind Crown Point, purchased the property in Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA in 2012 after recognizing its potential to produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon. Nestled in the Eastern-most foothills of this transverse valley, Crown Point has a distinct terroir which is perfectly suited for the Bordeaux varieties. Philippe Melka and Michel Rolland are the consulting winemakers and share Roger's vision for producing estate wines to rival the best in the world. Simon Faury, formerly of Merryvale, Harlan Estate, and a native of the Northern Rhone, is the head winemaker. Simon trained in Bordeaux at several First Growth Estates, as well as at top estates in Barolo, Mendoza, and Australia. Simon has his Master’s Degree in Viticulture and Enology from The University of Bordeaux. Juve Buenrostro has managed their vineyard in Happy Canyon for twenty years. This remarkable team produces hand-crafted small lots of all five Bordeaux varieties from the estate to create two Grand Vins: Crown Point Cabernet Sauvignon and Crown Point Estate Selection. The wines are made in the vineyard and spend extended time in the cellar before release. Each wine is a unique expression of the vintage and meticulous selection at every stage. The results are rich, concentrated, voluptuous and regal wines of depth and character unrivaled in the area and in California. Crown Point wines are approachable today, yet will age gracefully for many years to come. Humbled by the extraordinary press that the wines have received since the inaugural release in the Fall of 2016, the quest for greatness continues.
The Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara American Viticultural Area where the east-west running Santa Ynez mountain range intersects with the north-south San Rafael mountain range. The east-west transverse mountain range is geographical anomaly in itself, and only one of a few in the world. While Happy Canyon sits as little as 12 miles to the north of the Pacific Ocean as the crow flies, the west-to-east running mountain range protects the vineyards from direct oceanic influence, but also traps the heat of the Santa Ynez Valley during the day. Cooling breezes and a fog-rich marine layer also roll through the canyon in the late afternoon and early morning, creating a wide temperature swing between daytime highs and nighttime lows. Their location is unique in that they do not experience the heat spikes felt in the North-South running Napa Valley.
Happy Canyon’s warm micro-climate is the perfect home for Bordeaux varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc, as well as many Rhône varietals. The soil, a mixture of loam and clay loam with interspersed cobbles, is high in mineral levels while low in nutrients, resulting in small vines and very low grape yields—a circumstance that results in concentrated flavors and excellent terroir expression.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
On the eastern end of the Santa Ynez Valley, the rolling hills of the tiny Happy Canyon AVA produce top quality reds from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and whites from Sauvignon blanc. The region’s low-nutrient soil grows smaller vines and in turn, higher quality wine grapes.