Lexington Gist Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Wilfred
Wong -
Wine &
Spirits
Product Details
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Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Expect exciting things from this Bordeaux-focused label by Thomas Fogarty Winery. This offers scents of blueberry, boysenberry and purple flowers such as lilac and lavender. It’s dainty yet dynamic on the palate, with blue fruit and espresso, restrained and elegant throughout.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
An absolute stunner, the magnificent 2011 Lexington Cabernet Sauvignon sends chills up my spine! This is certainly one of the very best 2011 Cabernets from anywhere in the North Coast of California. Deep ruby color; big, brooding ripe fruit aroma; dense and chewy on the palate and perfect within its medium to full bodied framework; dry, medium acidity, well balance; bold ripe fruit flavors; long finish. (Tasted: August 24, 2015, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine & Spirits
This starts off tight and spicy, with aromas of cedar bark and the bright acidity of a barely ripe blackberry. It turns softer with air, relaxing into a cushioned cassis tone that’s delicious if not particularly complex. Leave it in the cellar for a few more years, then open it for roast beef.
Other Vintages
2014-
Jeb
Dunnuck
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Wine &
Spirits
The Lexington label is a fairly new project for the Thomas Fogarty brand. The successful Cabernet Sauvignon-based Lexington is now its own label, which beginning in 2011 features a few single-variety bottlings and the flagship Apex.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
A rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.