I loved the 2014 Épinette from barrel, and it doesn't disappoint from bottle. Checking in as a blend of 58% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot that spent 22 months in 80% new French oak, it comes from the lower slopes of the estate vineyard where the soils are deeper and slightly richer. Todd commented that the cuvee was inspired by the wines of St. Emilion and Pomerol, and he's certainly succeeded, as this wine is a deep ringer for a top St. Emilion. Giving up loads of ripe, decadent black fruits, chocolate, damp earth, graphite and gravelly mineral notes, it's a big, full-bodied, ripe and heady beauty that has no hard edges, sweet yet present tannin and a hedonistic slant that will drink beautifully for 10-12 years.

This wine is a blend of Merlot (58%), Cabernet Franc (22%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%) and Petit Verdot. Brooding aromas of cherry, blackberry, wood spice, anise and bittersweet chocolate lead to dry, incredibly tightly wound tannins. It needs significant time in the cellar to soften a bit. Don't go near it until 2025 unless you give it an extended decant.