HUNDRED ACRE WRAITH ‘CRYPT’ 2018 CABERNET SAUVIGNON

And just when you thought nothing new could come from Hundred Acre, Woodbridge reveals the new “Wraith Crypt” cuvée. “This is the crypt of the wraith, based on the legend of wraith,” said Woodbridge. “It has those earthy elements, that mineral essence. This is the Wraith stabilized, a solid form. It spends more time in barrel. This is a new creation, but you can see the uniqueness of the vintage. It’s a fusion. Again, none of this fit together until I had Few and Far Between—the final lens.” Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

“A new offspring of Wraith, produced for the First time in 2017, “This is the crypt of the wraith, based on the legend of wraith,” proprietor Jayson Woodbridge told me. “It has those earthy elements, that mineral essence. This is wraith stabilized, a solid form. It spends more time in barrel (thus, the 2018 “Wraith Crypt” was still in barrel at the time of tasting). Deep garnet colored, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Wraith Crypt starts off a little muted and broody, slowly unfurling to reveal earthy notes of tilled soil and mossy bark, giving way to meaty scents of charcuterie and beef dripping before a dark-fruited core emerges: baked plums, dried mulberries and crème de cassis. The full-bodied palate contributes a complex, mineral and crushed rock kind of character, intertwined with black fruit preserves and supported by a rock-solid structure of ripe, grainy tannins, finishing with epic length and a truffle-like kick. The flavors here are so fast-shifting that they are hard to nail down, but then I imagine that’s the point.” 99 Point Review by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW