Duetto 1997

Wine: Duetto 1997

Wineries: Wente Vineyards (California, USA) & Bodegas de Santo Tomás (Baja California, Mexico)
Appellation: Binational blend (Mexico & USA)
Varietals: 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot
ABV: 13.5%

Winemaking
A collaborative project between Wente Vineyards (Livermore Valley, California) and Bodegas de Santo Tomás (Baja California). The blend consists of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon from Santo Tomás (Mexico), 38% Cabernet Sauvignon from Livermore (USA), and 12% Merlot also from Livermore. The wine was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels.

 

Tasting Notes (2013-03-14)

 

Appearance: Cloudy with significant sediment; medium depth, with a brick-colored rim showing no variation against the meniscus.

 

Nose: It overflows in every sense power, quality, detail, and finesse. A very refined bottle reduction has shaped its profile over time. It exudes stewed black fruit (blueberries, macerated plums, blackcurrant) joined by an exceptionally elegant reductive hint of withered petals, old leather, and pink peppercorn. High varietal expression of great refinement. Upon aeration, it gains further depth, revealing more spices and subtle background mentholated notes seamlessly woven into high-quality toasted oak (After Eight, cherry in liqueur) that is entirely non-intrusive.

 

Palate: Concentrated and forceful; savory  with a brutal power that "almost wounds" on the entry. Everything is perfectly in its place: tannins are soft and slightly sweet, yet tempered by a sharp acidity that keeps the ensemble in a highly pleasing state of excitement and "nerviosismo." Great structure, but above all, elegant. A citrusy edge joins the black fruit. Firmness and class are elevated by the oak, which provides a thread of classicism: pepper, vanilla, and toasted honey. Extremely long and elegant finish. A superb wine that proves the aging potential of Mexico's finest bottles. It has only improved over the last seven years, breaking established preconceptions. Surprising.

 

Personal Score: 95
Tasting Group Score: 96

Tasting Notes (2006-12-18)

 

Appearance: Brownish-ruby in color; brick-colored meniscus and rim.

 

Nose: In its prime, showing no traces of reduction. Powerful, honest, and perfumed from the moment the cork is pulled. It surprises with an abundance of juicy fruit that, as it evolves, gains the expression of a warm and ripe Cabernet (blackcurrant, bell pepper notes). Subtle hints of leather, English blonde tobacco, scorched oak, and refined chocolatey nuances emerge over background touches of minerals and terroir. It provides a wealth of information and never stops expanding from the very first glass.

 

Palate: Caressing and pure silk; well-rounded with everything in its place. Great acidity and unctuous  tannins, featuring savory peaks of creamy toast and cherry liqueur. It possesses "nervio" (energy) throughout the palate, leading to an elegant and sustained finish of macerated stone fruit, plums, fine oak, and barbecue notes.

 

Personal Score: 92