Hook & Ladder The Tillerman Russian River Valley, 2016

A “wow” of a wine. It really stood out in the tasting selection – both The Tillerman 2016 and the following Station Ten 2016 blew me away immediately. It is vibrant in colour with aromas of ripe blackcurrant, blackcurrant coulis and vanilla with a touch of smoke. It is smooth with a fine texture and more flavours of blackcurrant. Medium bodied with succulent fruits, it features a very classy elegant finish which simply commands another sip. It is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and 4% Sangiovese. The grapes were all grown on the Los Amigos Ranch just south of Healdsburg in the Chalk Hill appellation. This sub-region in the western foothills of the Mayacamas mountains is generally warmer than other parts of Russian River Valley. Each grape variety was picked, vinified and matured separately for 18 months in a combination of European and American oak. A tillerman steers the back of a hook-and-ladder fire engine, Cecil de Loach’s role during his time with the San Francisco Fire Department