Cristaldi Score

93

Review

The ‘B 15 01 RCV MTR’ hails from the 2015 vintage and represents the first two of ten barrels from an old vine field blend, aged for 76 months in 100% neutral Radoux medium+ toast French oak. This deeply expressive wine marries the lifted florals and blue fruit tones of the 2017 with the herbaceous spice and bright acidity of the 2016. Aromas of dried violet, grilled agave, and spicy currants unfold into a layered palate of tart red berries, dark cassis, and blood orange. Rich loamy earth, black truffle, and nutty undertones weave through a full-bodied frame, supported by sappy tannins and a savory, saline-tinged finish. The texture is firm yet supple, with persistent energy and depth from its extended barrel aging.

Cristaldi Score

92

Review

The ‘B 15 02 RCV MTR’ is the same wine as the ‘B 15 01 RCV MTR’—from the 2015 vintage and crafted from an old vine field blend—aged instead for an extraordinary 100 months in 100% neutral Radoux medium+ toast French oak. The currant and spiced plum fruit found in the 76-month-aged version is still present, now evolving into more tertiary territory. Notes of dusty sagebrush, loamy earth, kirsch, and crushed almonds emerge, along with spiced nuts and plenty of textural tannin to carry the wine’s weight and complexity.

Cristaldi Score

93

Review

The ‘B 15 03 RCV MTR’ is the same wine as the ‘B 15 01 RCV MTR’—from the 2015 vintage and made from an old vine field blend—aged for an exceptional 114 months in 100% neutral Radoux medium+ toast French oak. The once-bright currant and spiced plum fruit has evolved into dried fruit and rich rum raisin cake, showing deep maturity and layered complexity. The tannins remain grippy but are finally beginning to resolve, leading to a long, spicy finish. Not yet released as of May 2025. Check with the winery for availability.

Decanter Score

96

Dan McLaughlin is crafting some of the most distinctive blends in the United States, ageing his wines longer than just about anyone else—and his labels tell a story all their own. This blend of Merlot, Touriga Nacional, and Ruby Cabernet was aged for 120 months in French oak. In this case, the wine hails from the 2015 vintage, indicated by “15” on the label, followed by “04,” denoting “Lot #4”—meaning the wine came from barrels 9 and 10 out of a total of 10 produced. Just 48 cases were made, estate-bottled under the “RCV” designation on the label while “MTR” indicates an Old Vine Field Blend. To give you a sense of what you’re diving into, the label reads: “A field blend in equal parts from the estate’s three old-vine blocks. From an original 10-barrel lot, two barrels have been bottled each year since 2022; these final two spent a full decade in barrel. A remarkable vertical for those with patience. As always, Robert Clay Vineyards wines are unfiltered and unfined and may deposit natural sediment.” The vines are planted in the Hickory Sands of Mason County within the Texas Hill Country AVA. Because the wines are neither fined, filtered, nor cold-stabilised, they are expected to drop sediment, as noted on the back label. Now for the wine itself, tasted just after lunch on a cool Monday in September. My first impression from the aromas is that it’s quite port-like—reminiscent of a fine tawny—with lovely nutty nuances, maple, hickory, and dark chocolate. Those same notes ripple across the palate, supported by beams of sappy, maple-like tannins. There’s something undeniably delicious about this wine, and I highly recommend serving it well chilled. Enjoy a glass or two on its own, then pair it with top-notch barbecue—particularly smoked meats. - "DECANTER REVIEW SOON TO BE MADE PUBLIC IN LATE OCTOBER”