You have to treat yourself sometimes. Happy birthday to me. 27 feels really good, and I can't wait to see what 2023 has in store. The main reason I opened up this bottle specifically was because of the 2018 vintage, which was the year I started into my wine endeavors. As for the wine and food pairing. Aged Del Monico Steak seasoned with salt, pepper, and fresh garlic paired deliciously with The Mascot from Will Harlan. The Mascot started out to be a wine produced for only family and friends of the winery. Then, after the 2008 vintage, Will Harlan released it to the public in small batches. This wine is made from younger vines of Harlan Estate(MSRP: $1600+), BOND(MSRP: $300-$800), & Promontory(MSRP: $630-$1700). Instead, you get this wine for a whopping $175, which still is a lot of money for a bottle but is much more affordable when you're comparing it to the other three. So, definitely a wine to seek out if you drink any of the other three or if you want to gift it to someone or even treat yourself like I did! Let's get to this wine!
Name: The Mascot Red 2018
Varietals: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, & 5% Petit Verdot
Vintage: 2018
ABV: 14.5%
Country: USA
State: California
AVA: North Coast
Sub-AVA: Napa Valley
Clarity: clean, no sediment
Hue: Deep crimson red
Nose: Deep dark black fruit, shaved up bitter dark chocolate, vanilla dusting, hints of black olive, toasted cedar, pencil shavings, and black tea.
Palate: smooth and fleshy with Deep dark black fruit like black cherry and plum, vanilla, and oak but tamed, then the mid palate comes through with bitter tannins and then coats your palate and resonates in your teeth, very complex and full bodied.
Body: Full
Acidity: Medium
Finish: super long black tea finish
Rating: 96/100
Price: $175
Overall, I think that this is a delicious wine, youthful but delicious, and can most certainly be approached in its youth, but can open up more and more as time goes on and it is cellared.
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