2023 Cuvée Karatas

Morgan Twain-Peterson and Chris Cottrell presented a stellar collection of 2023s. With one exception, the wines are brilliant from top to bottom. Some of the highlights include a stunning new Cabernet Franc from the Detert estate in Oakville. The Franc is made from the famed East Block, fruit that had previously been under contract to Mondavi for several decades. Tasted from barrel, the young 2023 is incredibly promising. The Oakville Farmhouse is also memorable. A bevy of Heritage Wines from sites in Sonoma County are not too far behind. This year’s lineup concludes with three Syrahs from Hudson, each done with a slightly different style of vinification and aging. The one wine that is disappointing is the 2023 Syrah (California). It’s an instructive wine that illustrates what happens when cold-climate sites struggle to fully ripen in a cold year. That wine aside, this range is packed with captivating reds that I would love to own and drink.