RP
96
Robert Parker Wine Advocate
(Rating 96+). The 2008 Sloan Estate is racy and totally elegant from start to finish. It shows gorgeous freshness and vibrancy in its expressive dark red fruit, flowers, licorice and tobacco. Today the 2008 comes across as a relatively understated, subdued vintage for this wine. It should be absolutely fabulous in another few years. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2028.
Sloan Estate is one of the most striking properties in Napa Valley. Over the years, this pristine hillside site has yielded a number of stunning wines. Earlier in the year, Stuart Sloan sold the estate to the Goldin Group, a Hong Kong based conglomerate. I was quite surprised when Goldin’s Chairman, Mr. Pan Su-Tong and long-time winemaker Martha McClellan decided to show me every vintage of Sloan Estate. Needless to say, it was a great tasting with many highlights, including the stellar 2002 and 2007. Most important of all though, the wines are proving they have the pedigree to age well. Readers who want to get a look at the 2011 harvest at Sloan Estate may want to take a look on ww.erobertparker.com at the video I shot with Martha McClellan during crush.. Reviewed by Antonio Galloni, Issue date: December 2011. Drinking window: 2014 - 2028.
V
95
Vinous
(14.8% alcohol): Bright medium ruby. Pure and high-pitched if reticent on the nose, offering aromas of blackberry, licorice, violet, menthol and sweet oak lifted by an element of dusty stone. Wonderfully suave, fine-grained and light on its feet, with a sexy oak element complementing the black raspberry, mineral and spice flavors. Very dense but not at all heavy, showing terrific floral energy and a light touch for this bottling, with no sign of dehydrated berries. The fruit still conveys a distinctly primary character but the wine's verve makes it delicious already--in fact, I'm tempted to say that anyone who doesn't love this is a spoilsport or a masochist. Wonderfully harmonious wine with the underlying spine to support a long evolution in bottle. The substantial dusty tannins show some obvious new oak. Reviewed by Stephen Tanzer, Issue date: March 2018. Drinking window: 2018 - 2035.