Winemaker's Notes
Beautiful aromatics of
dried flowers, cassis, blueberry, black cherry and licorice set the stage for
the opulent palate of the 2008 Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Flawless
texture, minerality and concentrated flavors create a balanced and intense long
finish.
Critical Acclaim
"The 2008
Cabernet Sauvignon Backus is a beautifully delineated wine endowed with tons of
personality and sheer class. The wine comes alive in the glass, with crushed
rose petals, dark raspberry jam, licorice and spices. There is an exotic
element to the fruit that is highly appealing. Today the tannins are quite
firm, suggesting the wine needs at least a few more years in the cellar. Anticipated
maturity: 2015-2038. " – 97 Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
"Firm and
intense, this is beautifully structured, with a tight, vivid core of
mineral-laced raspberry, black cherry, anise and cedar flavors. Full-bodied and
firming nicely on the finish, where the minerality provides a flinty edge.
Drink now through 2022. 1,445 cases made." – 94 Wine Spectator
"A big wine,
saturated in color and tremendously extracted in fruity richness. Explodes in
blackberries, cassis and sweet new oak, and the tannins are strong and refined.
Not particularly drinkable now, because the parts are only clumsily melded, but
seems like a serious cellar candidate. Should begin to blossom in 6–8 years
and, given this wine's history, will be rocking by 2020." – 93 Wine Enthusiast
"Bright ruby.
Aromas of blueberry, crushed stone, licorice and violet. Very tight and
energetic, with dark berry flavors complicated by meaty, smoky and saline
nuances. Ultimately creamier than the Insignia, this saturates the entire mouth
and leaves the taste buds vibrating. Finishes with major tongue-coating
tannins, superb persistence and captivating minerality. Rating: 93(+?)" – 93
Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine
Cellar