Beaulieu Vineyard, Napa Valley (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

One of the most famous bottlings in the history of American wine, this carries such high expectations with it that it is almost bound to disappoint.  And yet, this rendition from 2009 is absolutely stunningly good and every bit up to all of the fame that the wine carries every year (both as a boon and a burden).  Darkly pigmented and quite concentrated, it is nevertheless neither over-ripe nor over-extracted.  On the contrary:  It shows terrific stylishness, offering innumerable aromatic and flavor nuances without seeming weighty, pushy, or showy in any respect.  The oak remains notable but is already beautifully integrated with the fruit, so this could be tasted with great pleasure already, and yet that would be a serious mistake if you have the patience and the cellar to enable this to become what it holds the potential to become — which is a wine meriting a perfect score.  Platinum award winner at the 2013 San Diego International Wine Competition.