This is based on a Sample sent to me. 

 

I’ve been looking forward to trying this wine for a couple weeks.  I wanted to give it time to settle down from the shipping to the Midwest from California.  I figured this was the perfect time to open it since the wine was just offered by Jean Edwards Cellars on their pre-release e-mail offer on Friday.  Total production was only 250 cases of this wine.

 

I’ve had past vintages of this wine and its’ quality far exceeded the price point.

 

I decanted the wine for about 5 hours, but it probably could have used more.  The wine is a deep, dark purple color.  The nose on the wine is deep and dark with cassis, black cherry, dried herbs, wood smoke, cedar, Asian spices, vanilla, earthy underbrush, tobacco, dark chocolate, and some violets.  This is medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and good acidity.  Nice spicy, forward fruit and spice but with plenty of power and grip on the palate, dark chocolate, cherry, and a bit of oak add dimension and depth.  There is a long, flavorful finish with just a touch of spicy oak popping out.  This tastes very nice now, but a couple of years in the cellar will be greatly rewarded.  It wouldn’t surprise me if this shuts down some what in the next six months, so try early or wait a few years.  (94 pts now, but better in a few years)

 

I highly recommend this wine, and ordered a mixed case from their offer.

 

 

Here is the information from the winery on their offer:

 

2009 Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (750ml) – pre-release

Release price $65

 

Our 2009 cab from Stagecoach is a real gem! As with most cabs from this vineyard, there is a very nice Asian spice element that sits on top of a solid core of delicious black cherry notes, cassis and cola. The nose is very full with dark fruit, tobacco and vanilla. Medium weight – it’s a bit more fruit forward than our 2008 without going over the edge and for such a young cabernet it shows tremendous integration and length. The wine is 98% cabernet sauvignon and 2% petite verdot; aged 22 months in French Oak (50% new/50% one year old barrels). Our 2009 offering provides the supple, round mouth of our 2007 along with the power and fruit structure of our 2008.  We are absolutely in love with this wine and know you will love it too!

 

 

There are two other wines in the latest offer, the 2009 Seventy Four – Forty One Cabernet Sauvignon – HowellMountain and a special “Library Release” of their first commercial offering the 2004 Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

I should add, there are significant discounts for mailing list members off the release price.

 

If you’re interested, visit http://www.jeanedwardscellars.com/ tell Karen, Cliff sent you.  They are also available at wine@jeanedwardscellars.com.

 

 

Cheers!