Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Crown Point Relevant is the introductory wine to Crown Point Vineyards. All estate grown, it showcases incredible freshness and fruit character from their young vines. A large part of the blend is given to Cabernet Sauvignon, which brings spiced tones of cassis, violets, and bay leaves. Cabernet Franc brings a delicate and soft character to this wine and is completed with a touch of Petit Verdot that brings tension and density. The wine was aged in 50% new French oak and 50% used French oak for one year.
Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Functioning as the second wine of the estate (meaning younger vines and blocks that didn’t make the selection for the top cuvée), the 2018 Relevant checks in as 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot that spent 22 months in barrel. Beautifully pure cassis, violets, flowery incense, and spice notes all emerge from this beauty, which is soft, supple, layered, and just impossible to resist. It's an opulent, sexy wine that certainly doesn’t taste like a second wine at this point.
Barrel Sample: 94-96 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Relevant is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. It has a medium ruby-purple color and classic notes of cassis, cigar box, pencil shavings and thyme on the nose. Medium-bodied, it's ultra classy, with a super fine texture, expressive, mineral-laced fruits and a long, ethereal finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Creamy aromas of blueberry, cassis, caramel and fudge meet with floral hints of violet and a subtle savoriness the nose of this blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. It’s suave and lavish on the palate, loaded with jammy black-fruit, caramel and chocolate-mousse flavors, with a touch of espresso bean providing balance on the finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Crown Point Relevant Red directs attention to the relatively new AVA of Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. I first came across this growing region while attending the Wine Bloggers' Conference in 2014, and I was wow! Wine Educator Fred Swan hosted a remarkable tasting of wines made from this area. TASTING NOTES: This wine is formidable, layered, and persistent with lovely aromas and flavors of powerful black fruit and oaky notes with a juicy, grilled ribeye. (Tasted: September 24, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
This red shows leafy character with lots of ripe blackberries and blueberry jam, as well as some menthol and coffee. Full-bodied palate with a deep core of fruit. Slight prune undertone. 85% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
On the eastern end of the Santa Ynez Valley, the rolling hills of the tiny Happy Canyon AVA produce top quality reds from Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and whites from Sauvignon blanc. The region’s low-nutrient soil grows smaller vines and in turn, higher quality wine grapes.