ADAMVS IN REVIEW
Denise and Stephen Adams, who have done so much in the wine world, especially with regard to their resurrection of the well-known St.-Emilion estate, Fonplégade, and more recently, L’Enclos in Pomerol, fell in love with this property on the hillsides of Howell Mountain. The up-and-coming viticulturist Michael Wolf is responsible for the vineyards, and Philippe Melka is the winemaker. The vineyard includes five separate parcels of iron-rich red soils with diverse geology. There are about 110 cases of the ADAMVS Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, just over 600 cases of the QUINTVS and nearly 1,400 cases of the TÉRES. The biodynamically run Howell Mountain Estate vineyard is near such other great sites as O’Shaughnessy, Randy Dunn, and Outpost. About 80% of the vines are over 25 years of age.
2012 ADAMVS Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 96 pts
The beautiful 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100% new French oak for 21 months) offers up notes of blackberries, blueberries, graphite, mulberries and white flowers. This superb, layered, full-bodied, multidimensional 2012 should continue to drink well for two decades or more.
2012 QUINTVS Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 95 pts
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon QUINTVS (88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Merlot) is made from five separate blocks of vines. It exhibits a dense purple color along with sweet crème de cassis notes intermixed with mocha, espresso bean, vanilla and graphite. Full-bodied, rich and layered, this impressive effort should drink well for 15-20 years.
2012 TÉRES Cabernet Sauvignon 94+ pts
Composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot from the estate’s Howell Mountain holdings and vineyards in Oakville, Rutherford and Mt. Veeder, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon TÉRES (around 1,400 cases produced) possesses amazing purity as well as dense blueberry and blackberry fruit intermixed with acacia flowers, new oak, graphite and a haunting floral note. Full-bodied, opulent and majestic, it should drink well for 15-20 years.