Tasting Profile

The 2008 Hourglass Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is rich and deeply concentrated. Aromas of quince paste, cranberry chutney, and menthol interweave with savory rosemary and tar weed notes with an underpinning of graphite minerality. The palate explodes with dense, dark flavors of cassis, blackberry jam, and dates with a hint of mocha/chocolate. It possesses a nice expanse on the mid-palate with polished ripe tannins yielding a rounded weighty texture. Though expansive, the mid-palate texture has well delineated edges and a densely focused core leading to a lingering, haunting finish. The beauty of this wine is its classic big Calistoga Cabernet fruit framed by serious structure in one complete package. 

Cellaring Potential

Both the 2006 and 2007 Blueline Estate Cabs were released with higher scores and more fanfare. Fair enough as those wines were very showy upon release, but time has a way of balancing the equation. In our most recent tasting on October 19, 2015, the ‘08 was the staff favorite of the three vintages. What we liked about it was the wine’s complete integration and balance, leading us to speculate that the ‘08 has more interesting layers to unfold over the next eight to 12 years. This is a wine that you have an option to drink now or hold and see what develops.

~ Jeff Smith, January 2016

Other Vintages

2016 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2015 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2014 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2013 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2012 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2011 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2010 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2009 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2006 Blueline Estate Cabernet Sauvignon