Fortunate Son Wines The Diplomat 2019
- twi95
- wa94
- jd94
Category | Red Wine |
Varietals | |
Origin | California, Napa Valley |
Brand | Fortunate Son Wines |
From the renowned talent behind the highly coveted Hundred Acre collection comes a “21st Century Claret” of unreserved energy and generosity. Some of the fruit for Fortunate Son even hails from Jayson Woodbridge’s own Hundred Acre vineyards, joined by fruit from select family vineyards he’s negotiated to farm. The Diplomat is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, familiar territory for Woodbridge, supported by Merlot and Petite Sirah. Bright notes of Morello cherries and black raspberries soar above a profound core of cassis with licorice and tobacco. The palate is plush with layers of powerful black fruit and a long, earthy finish.
The Wine Independent
- twi95
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 The Diplomat shoots out of the glass with bold notions of creme de cassis, blackberry pie, and mulberries followed by suggestions of dusty soil, Indian spices, and mossy tree bark. The medium to full-bodied palate is wonderfully plush, with a refreshing line to support the generous black fruit and exotic spice layers, finishing with a compelling red berry burst. "This is a classic Claret (it says Teralc on the label, which is Claret backwards) with a lot of old-vine Merlot in the blend," says owner Jayson Woodbridge. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent
Wine Advocate
- wa94
Riper and substantially more expressive than the 2018, Fortunate Son's 2019 Red Wine The Diplomat is a plush, luscious wine, laden with black cherries, mocha and loam notes. It's full-bodied, rich, velvety and supple, with a lingering finish. Like the previous vintage, it's mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, with a fair whack of Merlot.
Jeb Dunnuck
- jd94
The Merlot-dominated 2019 The Diplomat comes from a handful of sites and would give a great Pomerol a run for its money with its darker red and black fruits, smoky herbs, and earthy goodness on the nose. These carry to a full-bodied, rounded, opulent 2019 with sweet, building tannins and a great finish. Give it a few years.