Futo Estate Red 2018

This is luxurious red for the vintage with velvety tannins that give it superb depth and richness. Lots of tile, dry earth, clay and chocolate. Full-bodied, but almost weightless in the sensibility of the wine. It goes on for minutes. Lovely dried oranges and savory, fruity and forest-floor character at the end. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 14% cabernet franc, 4% petit verdot and 2% merlot. Unfined and unfiltered. Drink in 2025.

I also loved the 2018 Estate. Incredibly pure crème de cassis, blackberry, scorched earth, graphite, gravelly earth, and cedar pencil notes give way to a full-bodied Cabernet with perfect balance, ripe yet certainly present tannins, a great mid-palate, and a blockbuster of a finish. This is pure Napa Valley class that needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will keep for 30-40 years given its purity, balance, and concentration.

The 2018 Futo is silky, elegant and captivatingly beautiful right out of the gate. Freshly cut flowers, spice, mint, mocha and sweet red cherry build in a translucent, finessed wine that is more elegance than pure power. Even so, there is plenty of depth to support two decades or so of exceptional drinking.