UNLVino: Richard Partridge Wines

Richard Partridge Wines is a small family owned winery in the Napa Valley with a limited production of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. They source grapes from various Napa vineyards but have begun growing some of their own on their St. Helena estate to eventually make their own estate grown wines.

I tasted their 2003 Richard Partridge Cabernet Sauvignon ($68). This wine is 100% Cabernet and the grapes come from two vineyards, Stanton and Sacrashe. The wine spent about 21 months in oak and has an alcohol content of 14%. Only 764 cases of this wine were produced. I should note that their 2005 Vintage is their current release and the 2003 is now regarded as a Library Wine.

This wine has a moderate red color and a nose of cherry and raspberry. On the palate, it had vibrant red fruit, including a lot of cherry plus some raspberry and strawberry. There was a strong vanilla streak as well as some mild spice flavors, such as a touch of cinnamon. It had a decently long finish with some strong tannins. Overall, I enjoyed this wine but it did not really impress me. At this price point, I want to be impressed. I am looking for more than just a good wine. I want it to excel in some manner. And this wine failed to excel for me. You would enjoy drinking this wine, but it is not memorable enough for me to recommend at this price.

I would be interested in their 2005 Cabernet though, to see if maybe the vintage matters.