Austin Hope Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

24 reviews for Austin Hope Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

1. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Johnathan Carpenter – December 13, 2019

   The 2017 Cabernet lacks depth, but with age, it will shine. Spectacular potential.

2. 

   Rated 3 out of 5

   Arlene Harris – January 4, 2020

   Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 6 *shared* bottles] from 01/03/19 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA), : “The making of Austin Hope Reserve Cabernet begins with small lot fermentations separated by individual vyd blocks which receive daily pump-overs for maximum extraction. These lots are constantly supervised, tasted & analyzed for tannin & anthocyanins in order to determine optimal length of extended maceration after fermentation. Once drained & pressed, the young wines are barreled down into a combination of once used & neutral FR oak. In winter of 2019, the lots were blended together & continued barrel aging in 75% new FR oak. Just before bottling the 2017 Austin Hope Cabernet, the winemaking team tasted & selected individual barrels that displayed exceptional quality & character. These barrels were combined together to form the AHCS Reserve. After an additional 6 mos of ageing in 100% new FR oak, the wine was then bottled in Fall 2019.” 15% ABV, N: RIPE (poss jammy?) berries with undertones of pyrazines; Intensity lurking?, P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (suspect threshold R.S.) met by a bit of astringent pucker which TOTALLY resolves by the LONG, balanced finish with a tangy/SWTNESS to the still firming, but *quite* INNOCUOUS, DUSTY tannins. For now with food, may improve a TAD during ’20, then drink through ’25. BEST for those who seek out the flirting with R.S. style — & aren’t adverse to PAYING for it. (Caymus [with which Hope has at LEAST had a *past* relationship] C.S. drinker alert!) So, for those folks my VG+/EXC- (88-91/100 using that metric) *will* be low, & that metric would be trending towards the lower 2 #s based upon poor QPR for the style. [Check with this vendor if interested in their COMPETITIVE price.], Note: Since their “regular” ’17 C.S. pushed MY limits of tolerance, I guess it was unlikely I’d think > of a wine put together by selecting indiv barrels of “exceptional quality & character” for 6 ADDT’L mos in 100% new FR oak — PARTICULARLY when the sugg retail amped up 2.5x for the supposed benefits. 🙁

3. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Frank King – June 17, 2020

   Complex, deep, and tense, this reserve Cab surpasses the regular bottling. Reminiscent of Caymus Special Select, it flaunts flabby, jammy sweetness with notes of toasted oak, vanilla, blackberry jam, and creme de cassis. Some may find the added sweetness appealing, but it’s not my preferred style. Nonetheless, it’s easy to understand its popularity among the American palate.

4. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Leslie Joseph – August 28, 2020

   Austin Hope’s Reserve wine is good, but not significantly different from their regular Cab to justify the higher price.

5. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Marcia Kiani – December 26, 2020

   Butterfingers was chosen.

6. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Larry Klepchick – December 29, 2020

   Fruity, yet balanced. Perfect after 5 years.

7. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Eleanor Cofield – February 1, 2021

   Vibrant fruitiness, intense hue, and delightful taste. Enjoyable now, promising future with aging.

8. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Cheyenne Goldberg – April 30, 2021

   Delicious wine, lots of fruit, mild tannins, smooth finish. Unsure if worth 3x non Reserve price, but highly enjoyable.

9. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   Neil Sharp – May 1, 2021

   Promising wine, destined for improvement with age.

10. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Malissa Kachmarsky – August 27, 2021

    2015 Cab-like. Excellent.

11. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Lynn Howard – October 19, 2021

    Incredible.

12. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Cathy Sloan – October 30, 2021

    Balanced and full-bodied.

13. 

    Rated 5 out of 5

    Mary Garcia – October 30, 2021

    Highly recommended, will repurchase!

14. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    April Smith – July 6, 2022

    Solid fruit-forward AH Cab, enjoyable but on par with their regular offering.

15. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Lisa Garibay – September 25, 2022

    Intense aroma of dark fruits, earthy notes, fig, chocolate, caramel; impressive mouthfeel.

16. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Edith Winters – October 3, 2022

    Smooth, fruity, great finish.

17. 

    Rated 3 out of 5

    Maria Sturmer – October 22, 2022

    2019 Austin Hope Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon pushes boundaries, with notes of blueberry, vanilla, and baking spices. Luxurious and full-bodied, it lingers on the palate.

18. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Linda Brooks – December 24, 2022

    This wine is deep and rich, with notes of mocha, cinnamon, berry cobbler, tobacco, and vanilla bean. It is nicely balanced compared to the regular Austin Hope.

19. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    John Searchwell – January 16, 2023

    Austin Hope’s Paso Robles wine boasts a chalky, earthy nose with hints of vanilla and oak. After decanting, blue fruit emerges with a velvety finish. Full-bodied with medium tannins, it offers lingering flavors of oak, vanilla, and black and white pepper. Perfectly pairs with steak or red meat. A friendly and special wine. 8/10.

20. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Joshua Nichols – January 21, 2023

    Great QPR (quality-price ratio). Well made, tastes great. Good structure for long cellar potential. Might develop for another 20+ years. Worth it if within budget.

21. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Linda Baker – January 29, 2023

    Favorite!

22. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Charles Lamanna – February 4, 2023

    Dark ruby with concentrated depth. Flavors of cherries, blackberries, vanilla, tobacco, and leather. Low acidity, pleasant tannins, and a long finish. Fantastic!

23. 

    Rated 3 out of 5

    Clarence Ruff – April 1, 2023

    Too sweet, like Port, full of flavor, but too strong for my taste.

24. 

    Rated 4 out of 5

    Rowena Sloan – April 1, 2023

    Great Paso cab, but not worth the steep price compared to their exceptional regular cab.