2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Samantha's (Oakville)

Rudd remains a work in progress. New winemaker Frederick Ammons arrived from Bill Harlan's Napa Valley Reserve in 2013, just in time to glean that the vineyards here ripen quickly. In response to that, Ammons has moved picking dates up slightly, increased the use of co-fermentations and brought farming in house. From what I have seen so far, the 2014s look promising. The wines are aromatically nuanced, persistent and impeccable in their overall balance. Unfortunately I was not able to taste the 2013 reds, as they had just been bottled at the time of my visit. After several years of change, it finally looks as though things are on the right track. What Rudd Estate needs now is a long period of organizational stability that will give the current team time to get the job done.