2015 Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon J. Phelps Magnum

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is going to need time to recover from its recent bottling. Dense, powerful and explosive, the 2015 has so much to offer. The density and resonance of the fruit is striking. Even so, the 2015 has never been more expressive than the first time I tasted it, which makes me think that the relatively long élevage favored by Phelps may be robbing the wine of some of its freshness and adding a sheen of mocha/torrefaction notes that the wine does not really need. Admittedly, these are small critiques at this level, but I am not sure Backus is quite reaching its full potential. 2022 - 2040.