Thomas Rivers Brown and his wife Genevieve Marie Walsh have quickly made Rivers-Marie one of California’s most sought after Pinot Noir labels. The winery was founded in 2002 and the first release was the Rivers-Marie Summa Vineyard Pinot Noir. In addition to the line up of Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs, Rivers-Marie also makes a few single vineyard Cabernets and Chardonnay. Thomas is in high demand and serves as a consultant for a number of wineries including Schrader and Outpost.
Purple in color. 14.5% ABV. Stunning nose of blue and black fruits, licorice, leather and chocolate. Full bodied and concentrated. Plush and silky. Perfect balance. Blueberries, currants, cassis liqueur and espresso on the palate. The finish is long and supple with silky tannins. With fruit from Corona and Panek Vineyards the pedigree here is undeniable. Exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon that has aged brilliantly. Best over the next 2-4 years.
My rating: 95 points.
The 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will be released to the mailing list in the next month or so.
I have been on the Rivers-Marie mailing list for well over a decade. For me the Pinot Noir was always the main attraction here but the Cabernet program is really second to none when you factor in price and quality. Rivers-Marie wines are only available via their mailing list. Sign up for the mailing list if you have not done so already.
I’ve blogged about Rivers-Marie previously in the 2018 Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings and Updates from Rivers-Marie.