The 2006 is performing even better from bottle than it did from barrel. Sloan and McClellan decided to bottle it later than usual, recognizing the rugged, tough tannins of the vintage could be sweetened up with longer barrel aging. Their strategy worked. The wine’s dense ruby/purple color is followed by notes of white chocolate, burning embers, creme de cassis, coffee, and scorched earth (think Haut-Brion or La Mission Haut-Brion). It possesses terrific structure, melted, well-integrated tannins, full body, and is already bursting with complexity. A great success, it is one of the vintage's most thrilling wines. Drink it over the next 20-25 years. Rating: 98(+)
An extraordinary effort, very tightly wound with a wealth of detailed flavors, exhibiting tiers of black cherry, plum, currant, berry jam, cedar, cigar box, black licorice and tobacco leaf. Full-bodied and well-structured, ending with tapered flavors that retain their focus. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2011 through 2025.
The wines crafted by Sloan Estate are wildly popular and praised by professional critics and aficionados, yet the winery itself remains one of the most private and guarded in the New World. The ultra-prime 12 acre estate vineyard was established by David Abreu in the coveted Rutherford AVA, planted with Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. When the initial 2000 vintage was released in 2004, it was clear Sloan Estate’s luscious, dense and complex Bordeaux Blends are not to be taken lightly. With a limited annual production of 600 cases, 100-point scores by Robert Parker, and a super-exclusive mailing list reserved for the most elite and long-standing oenophiles, amassing Sloan Estate wines is next to impossible; but Benchmark Wine Group has your back.
As the #1 back-vintage retailer in the US, Benchmark Wine Group prides itself on being a trusted source for the greatest wines in the world. Their unparalleled market knowledge and exceptional service have come together to provide the most accessible cellar of rare and sought-after wines with a guarantee.