Hidden Bench Terroir Caché 2020

The Terroir Caché is made every vintage at Hidden Bench as a Bordeaux-varietal red blend that is the little sister wine for the top La Brunante made only in vintages the estate feels makes the cut … It’s a blend of all three vineyards – Rosomel, Locust Lane and Felseck Vineyards – consisting of mostly Merlot, with the rest split between Cabernet Franc and Malbec. It’s aged in 100% French oak (35% new) and the rest in older barrels for 20 months. What a treat to have two Bordeaux blends from the near perfect 2020 vintage released late for consumers. Both of these wines, says Thiel, are wines that are built to last ‘for the ages.’ It has a big, juicy nose of myriad dark berries, compoted red berries, cassis, anise, saddle leather, plums, dried Cuban tobacco and toasted vanilla bean and spice. The pureed red berries come to front on the palate, with dark chocolate, plums, cassis, blueberry pie and anise following behind. The tannins are ripe and structured and the long, echoing finish is lifted by mouthwatering acidity. Do not touch this for five years unless you decant it first and you can cellar to 2039. Score – 93. (Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com, June 27, 2024)