Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2021 Helena Dakota Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) leaps from the glass with opening scents of juicy black cherries, ripe plums, and crème de cassis, giving way to hints of rose oil, tar, and Sichuan pepper. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with concentrated black fruit flavors, supported by very firm, ripe, grainy tannins and beautifully balanced acidity, finishing long and perfumed.
97+ points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent (Aug 2024)
A deeper, saturated purple color, the 2021 Helena Dakota Vineyard is sourced from a more insulated and protected site with a lower elevation compared to the Helena Montana Vineyard, featuring alluvial clay soils, and is also entirely Cabernet Sauvignon. It offers resinous and deeper notes of blackcurrants, pressed sage, pencil lead, menthol, and floral perfume. The palate is full-bodied and broad-shouldered, with great energy driven by a fresh spine of acidity, ripe tannins, and a long, salty, and sanguine finish. It’s the most tense and coiled at this early stage of tasting and will take time to soften and fully open. Drink: 2027-2050.
97 points, Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck (Jul 2025)
Wow, so densely layered in velvety tannins and lavish black fruit. A stunning, medium-bodied wine with great power that's kept in check by the slightly austere structure and insistent tannins. Deep black cherry, blackcurrant, graphite and espresso flavors that expand on the palate and linger in the finish. Drinkable now, but best from 2030.
97 points, Jim Gordon, James Suckling (Jan 2025)
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard was matured for 15 months in 85% new French oak. It has an opaque ruby color and pure, detailed scents of blackcurrant, blueberry, violet and crème brûlée. The full-bodied palate is elegant, with a modest 13.8% alcohol. It’s notable for its polished texture, which offers both plushness and power. Its dark fruit is coiled and mineral-driven at this early stage, yet its very long, violet-laced finish hints at so much more to come. 750 cases were made.
96 points, Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate (Sep 2024)
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