Anderson’s Conn Valley Right Bank 2015 | Hands-down Extraordinary
Anderson’s Conn Valley Right Bank 2015 is an impressive Right Bank-style Bordeaux blend. Dark purple-black in color, showing black plum, cassis, black raspberry, licorice, and dried wild herbs tinged with dark chocolate, clove, cinnamon, and French oak. The nice tight structure at this stage, with a dense mid-palate core and fresh acidity. Layered with granitic minerality, svelte chewy tannins, very good length, chocolate and herb finish. Possibly the best ever Right Bank from Winemaker Rob Hunt. Drink now through 2030.
This Conn Valley Right Bank 2015 marries Howell Mountain muscle and tannin structure with Bordeaux freshness and acid-cut. The 2015 vintage, the fourth growing season in Napa’s long drought, resulted in very low yields. In addition, the grapes that did make it into barrel boasted excellent ripeness and concentration. “We’re in a bowl here in Conn Creek,” Rob explained. “And we tend to do everything a bit later than down in the valley in St. Helena. We’re about two weeks behind for flowering, fruit-set, and veraison. The nights are cool and so are our mornings, hence our grapes retain a freshness you can’t achieve on the valley floor.”
Howell Mountain Muscle
Two days ago, I made the trek up Howell Mountain Road to Anderson’s Conn Valley. Winemaker Rob Hunt, a veteran of Pine Ridge, Colgin, and Ovid was waiting on the crushpad. We then made our way into the caves where he had prepared a tasting of his “Right Bank. Robert Parker praises the wine as a “Cheval Blanc look-alike.” Rob noted that Parker scored the 2007 vintage 95+ points, the highest rating ever for “Right Bank. Rob adamantly asserted that the Conn Valley Right Bank 2015 was his best EVER. Hence, opening a bottle of the 2007 next to the 2015 to prove the point.
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While the 2007 was indeed excellent, the Anderson’s Conn Valley Right Bank 2015 was even better. Showing even more depth, concentration, and compelling complexity, as a result, the better wine, and hands-down extraordinary. Thanks to Winemaker Rob Hunt, the 2015 vintage releases from this outstanding Howell Mountain winery are its best ever. The 2015 “Right Bank” is $77 elsewhere — today, only $49.99 on Wine Access for the best “Right Bank” ever produced.
Parker says: “it’s time to discover the wines from this vineyard a few miles east of the famed Meadowood Resort.
Winemaker Rob Hunt
When Rob Hunt was offered the role of winemaker at Anderson’s Conn Valley, got a bit of unsolicited advice — from his wife. “Whatever you do,” she told him, “don’t mess up the ‘Right Bank.’ It’s my favorite. After tasting it ourselves, we can share that has Rob heeded his wife’s advice, In addition, Rob catapulted Anderson’s Conn Valley wines into the stratosphere of complexity, brilliance, and ageability. Consequently, there may not be more elegant wines coming off Howell Mountain than those being made by Winemaker Rob Hunt.
Neither Antonio Galloni of Vinous or Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate have yet weighed in on the 2015 “Right Bank,” though both have tasted. Expecting high praise when their reviews are published, if past is prologue. Just be warned: We haven’t offered “Right Bank” since last January, and the Wine Access clients who count themselves as Anderson loyalists won’t wait for the reviews before they buy. Whatever the score, I can tell you from our tasting with Winemaker Rob Hunt that this is the best “Right Bank” yet.