COLGIN CELLARS CARIAD 2004

“I was tempted to give the 2004 a perfect score as it jumped out in this tasting as one of the truly great Cariads. A 600-case blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 8% Cabernet Franc, it boasts extraordinarily complex aromas of chocolate, espresso roast, Asian spice, sweet meat, blackberries and cassis along with super intensity, a full-bodied, concentrated mouthfeel and a long finish with no hard edges. This is clearly a high fashion, flawlessly made wine that, while approachable now, is capable of lasting another 15+ years. My initial rating was also 99 points.” -Robert Parker 6/2011

Colgin Cellars, founded by Ann Colgin produced their first Cabernet Sauvignon from the 1992 vintage with fruit harvested from Herb Lamb vineyards. Ann Colgin, like many other well-known wine makers got into the business due to her passion for wine. After earning degrees from Vanderbilt and New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, Ann Colgin started working in the art art world, first at Christie’s and then Sotheby’s. It was during her tenure at Sotheby’s that Ann Colgin developed her interest in wine. One of the first wines that changed her life was tasting her first bottle of the legendary, 1961 Chateau Latour! What happened next was, during a visit to Napa Valley in 1988, while married to Fred Schrader, they attended one of the famous events associated with the Napa Valley Wine Auction. A few short years later, Ann Colgin and Fred Schrader founded Colgin Cellars.  Colgin and Schrader dissolved their partnership and marriage. Ann Colgin retained Colgin Cellars and Fred Schrader went on to create Schrader Cellars.