Black Hills 2020/21 Nota Bene 750ml

2019 Vintage:

Black Hills' 2019 Nota Bene is a gravelly, roasted herb and red and black fruit-inflected vintage of this sought-after wine (48% merlot, 34% cabernet sauvignon, 17% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot), with ample perfume and complexity on offer. Extraction on the palate is well-managed; there's obvious depth and concentration, and high tannin load, but there's also sufficient fruit extract to coat and soften the impact, meaning this will develop positively. I love the succulent acids and the underlying salinity, making this energetic and attractive for additional sips. Really nicely done, classy, composed, elegant but with girth and depth, too. Best 2024 -2032 or so.

Score: 94 points -- John Szabo, Wine Align