2021 Perihelios
In the first chapter of his famous work, The Zhuangzi, Chinese Taoist philosopher Zhuang Tzu describes a gigantic sea creature so vast in size that its body is an unknown number of miles long. In a passage entitled “The Carefree Excursion,” Zhuang chronicles the transformation of this sea creature, K’un, into an equally immense bird, Peng:
When it rouses itself and flies, its wings obscure the sky like clouds.
A symbol of incredible strength and magnitude, K’un represents Thomas’s wine, Perihelios.
Coming from Thomas Rivers Brown, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Perihelios just about jumps out of the glass with its juicy, perfumed, expressive style. Cassis, blue fruits, spring flowers, violets, and darker chocolate all define the aromatics, and this gorgeous, layered, full-bodied effort has ultra-fine tannins, a pure, seamless, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, and a great finish. This is pure Napa Valley magic that can be drunk today or cellared for two decades. (98 Points, Jeb Dunnuck)