Are you ready for crazy? Here it is. It was 31 degrees here in Central Florida last night and it is only November 10th. Boom, how is that for crazy? As I sit here and write this review, we are again headed towards yet another two nights of the very same temperature. While this kind of low is not entirely abnormal for my area of Florida as we will get around three to four days of freezing weather all year, it will usually come in late January, it's not even Winter yet. I guess so much for global warming huh? Anyway...I did have to bring in some of my beautiful tropical plants that normally live out on the back patio because otherwise they would have died. I guess when you think about it, it's amazing just how strong these plants actually are though as they will survive temperature swings of the low 90's with high humidity in the summertime, all the way to a normal low of around 41 degrees in the winter and all without showing much signs of stress.That is a big temperature swing to endure.
Around a month ago, I was on a wine site named "Last Bottle", (https://www.lastbottlewines.com) and I saw a wine for sale that I just had to jump on. The wine was the 2016 Spring Mountain Vineyard Elivette - Red Blend and from what I saw of the reviews and the price, I needed two bottles. The wine cost me $35 a piece but according to the wineries page it sells for $200! The wine comes in at 14.5% alcohol and the grapes for this wine come from the estate vineyards of the Spring Mountain Vineyard which is located in the Spring Mountain District AVA of the Napa Valley.
The wine is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petit Verdo, 6% Malbec & 6% Merlot and was big time wine magazine gave this wine an amazing 96 points and although I really don't hold much stock in these magazines as I feel money talks, I am really excited to taste it because I've never tasted a 96 point rated wine.
As far as the label is concerned, it certainly does scream the wineries listed price. A wine label does not have to be loud or super colorful in order to get its point across especially when it gives off this type of a confident visual impression. That second label just above the main is the same color as the main and that script...that font...my goodness how it shows off this wine in general. The label(s) are so beautiful that I have a special pourer on the mouth of the bottle because I would be so upset if I dripped even a bit of wine on it. This is certainly a case where less is more when it comes to the overall design and impact of a label. The overall simplicity of the label has already sold me that the wine inside will probably be very nice.
Visually, as I pour a glass and I hold it over a white piece of paper, the wine shows a lip that has no clarity to it, the wine is one continuous color. I also cannot see the white paper that is directly underneath the glass; it simply appears as if it no longer exists.
The wine in the glass is dark burgundy from the lip all the way into the middle of the bowl. Color wise, this wine shows no signs at all that it is a 2016 vintage. Judging only from this one aspect and not having tasted it yet, this is a good sign that the wine might have some life left to it and could possibly perhaps even age a bit longer as well.
On the nose and as the wine opens, I get notes of black cherry and what appears at least to be, a forward and rich blackberry. These fruits appear as if they are ripe and will be rather lively. A nice note of tobacco comes across here as well and I am also getting a note of leather to top things off. All together, the nose of this wine is smelling delicious. Bringing the glass to my nose one last time, there is some graphite here as well. Guys...this wine is smelling like a powerhouse of a red wine, let's taste it now.
blackberry. I have never tasted a blackberry note quite like this before, as in never. This note is presented in the most amazing way and thankfully without much sweetness to it. While there us just a tad bit of sweetness, it is kept in its place buy the wine as a whole. Freshness in every aspect is the overall key here. The wine also has an amazing sense of refinement to it, a polish to it that again, I have never tasted before.This refinement, this polish that the wine offers up has me in awe and my palate bathed in delicious red juice. I know it is a little early to say this but the wine is presenting itself in such a way that I actually think I would pay $200 for it. Keep in mind that I have been tasting this wine for a while now so I know fully well what it has to offer. 
There is a note of graphite that is up front here and really fight as if it wants to be the dominate note.This dominance does not happen but I am certainly enjoying the attempt. If you have never had the opportunity to experience this type of graphite palate note, you owe it to yourself to get this wine and experience it because this is the pinnacle of what it should be. Spiced plum just permeates throughout the entire wine and I loved it. Despite the 14.5% alcohol, you should have no worries as I was unable to either taste it or feel it. Tobacco, guys, is here as well and while it isn't fighting for dominance as it appears to be very happy where it is, it is well blended into the wine and effective at coming forward. Tannins are polished and are exhibited it seems manly towards the finish. These tannins are not crumbly, they are instead finely grained and as with the rest of the wine, these tannins are refined and polished. A note of dried rose petals is here as well. Keeping it real as always, I have never experienced a red wine with this particular note guys but here it is. I now know what I have been missing as it is very nice. Folks, everything this wine offers up is very simply in perfect harmony and balance. Everything this wine presents is offered up in a way that is truly masterful. Control and placement of the notes is a big part of how this wine stands apart from so many other wines of the same type. There is a lushness exhibited in this wine which is sort of a background note and the way it comes across is proof that it simply knows how to get the job done. Adding to all of this is a beautiful spice note that comes forward here that
Ladies and gentlemen, I am going to come out and say it. This is the best red wine that I have ever had and I do not say that lightly. People, I have tasted a lot of wine and I am not easy on my wines. A wine has to present...offer up specific notes depending on the varietal that I feel are a requirement...are mandatory or they will show that lacking in my Desert Wine Guy rating.
Wine lovers, I started this review on November 11th at 4:20 PM and it is now 6:16 PM. I have to stop this review for the night as it is getting late and, I have no one to share this wine with, it is a power house. Having a half a bottle left and having sealed the bottle tight after every pour, the wine really hasn't had time for oxygen to do its damage and so I am going to put the bottle aside for the night and I will come back to it tomorrow.
Alright, here I am again and it is time to finish this review. Picking things up here where I left off last night I will tell you that the wine was quite simply... outstanding! Continuing here with my review, I need to get back to that spice note I mentioned yesterday. As I said, aside from the spiced plum, there is another note of pepper, of black pepper. This pepper plays along with that spiced plum and both work seamlessly within the wine as a whole. One note that I have not mentioned as of yet is that French oak that yes, is something to note. The oak integration here is right on point and simply adds to the wines greatness in its entirety, it is not a distraction in any way. What good is a serious red wine if it doesn't offer up some well integrated oak, right? Folks, you should know that this wine has not skipped a beat since last night. I sealed it with the cork very tightly after each pour and as I the placed the bottle aside for the night as well.
Normally I do not come back to a wine. If I'm done enjoying a wine for the night, down the drain the rest goes but here, with this particular wine, I couldn't do that because this wine begged to be finished. I have to address that richness note that I mentioned yesterday because it deserves more attention. A lot of wines display a note of richness but in this case, this particular expression is not a cheap, sweet richness. This richness is super well controlled, super well kept in check and is just another example of just how well the winemaker knows what he was doing. Another note that is mixed in here is one of charcoal. I have never experienced this note in a wine although I have read reviews of reds that exhibit it. This note was the topping on the cake so to speak and helped the wine rush over the finish line. Guys, I really could go on talking about this wine but I will leave you with one last thought. Each and every time I take a sip of this this wine into my mouth I am forced to just sit back and contemplate the origins of the universe, the story of the making of mankind. If I smoked, I would have the best cigar in my hand while I sat in a large chair in my bathrobe & slippers. In the end, the winemaker used all of his talent to put this wine together and create what can only be considered to be a masterpiece. Okay so what is The Desert Wine Guy rating on this wine? My rating for this wine is 98 points. This is the highest scoring wine that I have ever reviewed, white or red and that score is well deserved.
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| Spring Mountain Vineyard Elivette |
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