June 27, 2014 – Wine: 2005 Hewitt Cabernet

When this wine was released, I quickly recognized its quality.  I would tell folks at the Provenance tasting bar that it was one of my favorite vintages of Hewitt, second to the 2002 vintage.  Even in comparison to the 2007 vintage, which has been my favorite since the 2005 dropped off the tasting menu, I prefer the red fruits offered up on the palette by this wine.  So, I purchased six bottles of the 2005 Hewitt the year it was released and tucked them all away, waiting for a special occasion.  Then I started counting the number of “special occasions” that I have each year where I have a reason to open a wine like this and decided to stop waiting.  Tonight, this wine was spectacular, featuring great balance, terrific structure and amazing complexity.  The palette features plenty of red berries, supported by pencil lead and minerals.  Now I need to resist the temptation to open the remaining five bottles before the year ends so I can experience this long-lived wine as it evolves.