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 72315-18
Label 72315-18

Pellet Estate - Henry's Reserve - 2018

Blend
85% Cabernet Sauvignon
15% Merlot
Country
USA
Region
California
Appellation
Saint Helena
UPC
00868811000233
Red Wine
72315-18
Product Ratings
Jeb Dunnuck 93pt

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the 2018 Red Blend Henry's Reserve offers a spicy, complex style with plenty of plum and jammy blackberry fruits as well as cedary herb and flowery incense notes. It's medium to full-bodied, nicely textured and balanced.

by Jeb Dunnuck, 2021
James Suckling 92pt

Notes of dark fruit, herbs and wood. A savory, balanced, medium-to full-bodied red. Firm tannins bring structure and the elegant finale has length. Lightly austere now. Drink or hold.

by James Suckling, 2020
Vinous Media 91pt

The 2018 Red Blend Henry's Reserve Pellet Vineyard is an attractive wine, even if it doesn't have the exuberance of the other wines in this range. Bright floral accents and sweet red berry fruit flavors abound. I expected more from Pellet's flagship bottling, especially given the strength of the other wines in the lineup.

by Vinous Media, 2021
Wine Advocate 91+pt

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the 2018 Henry's Reserve Pellet Vineyard features enough cedar, herbal and menthol notes to give the bright cherry fruit a slightly medicinal tinge. It's medium to full-bodied, tart and tight, with a silky finish that reprises the opening cedar notes. Cellar it a few years to let it unwind gracefully.

by Wine Advocate, 2023

Vinification

We hand sorted our grapes both prior to and after de-stemming, and following a four day whole berry maceration and cold soak, we began primary fermentation. After nearly three weeks, the wine was gently pressed-off and racked to 100% new Darnajou and Ermitage 36 month-aged tight grain French Oak barrels to complete a slow secondary fermentation for anoth-er few months. This year’s Reserve features 85% Cabernet Sauvignon (50/50 Clones 4 & 337), and 15% Merlot, which yielded almost two barrels, then hand blended from the top barrels in our progam.

Description

The Pellet Reserve wine is unique every year. They let each season, each barrel, each varietal guide them in crafting this rare blend. Their approach differentiates from what most people expect from a Reserve wine - rather than the best lots of a single varietal or extra care for designated barrels - theirs is driven by what nature and vinification techniques result from each year. They exist to make great wine, therefore all of our lots are made with the utmost quality at their disposal - they treat every drop the same. It’s the standout barrels and varietals that rise above all expectations each year, from which they select pay close attention to, when blending the reserve program, only yielding about a single barrel or two. This is Henry's Reserve - the constant pursuit of the most authentic expression, each year, from what fruit this historic vineyard provides them. It never will be, nor is meant to be, the same.