N°10 Cabernet Sauvignon Reviews

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon coming from the west side of St. Helena, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon No. 10 has a deep garnet-purple color and delivers a stunning nose of warm black plums, cassis and baked black cherries with hints of underbrush, black truffles and tree bark plus a waft of cinnamon stick. The full-bodied palate has a rock-solid structure of firm, grainy tannins and bold freshness supporting the densely packed black fruit and earthy flavors, finishing on a thought-provoking mineral note. 126 cases were made.

Also all Cabernet, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon JCB #10 is slightly deeper purple-hued and offers a more blockbuster styled bouquet of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, scorched earth, and graphite, with full-bodied, richness, beautiful purity, great tannins, and a balanced, layered, age-worthy style. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will evolve for 30 years or more.

The 2018 No. 10 offers up an attractive melange of sweet floral and spice notes to play off a core of ripe red berry fruit. This mid-weight wine is a bit tight today, but like all of the 2018s it is done in a heady, flamboyant style. -- Antonio Galloni

100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 62% new French oak for 20 months, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon No. 10 is very deep purple-black in color with lovely espresso, baked plums, stewed cherries and crème de cassis with earthy notions plus hints of sandalwood and sautéed herbs. The palate is big, rich, bold and decadent with velvety tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and spicy with some meatiness coming through. 222 cases produced.

The 2015 No. 10 is one of the more polished wines in the range. The No. 10 isn't quite as flamboyant as some other wines in the range, but it more than makes up for that with its persistence and shapely feel. Sweet red cherry, pomegranate and bright floral notes are some of the signatures.

The very deep purple-black 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon No. 10, made up of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, has an earthy, savory nose with notes of truffles, dried herbs and black fruits. The full-bodied mouth is powerful, firm and chewy with a lively backbone and long earthy finish. 192 cases were made.

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon No. 10 (a barrel sample of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon) is very deep purple-black colored with a nose of crème de cassis, chocolate box, beef drippings and black truffles with mocha, menthol and tapenade hints. Full-bodied, rich, firm, powerful and concentrated, this blockbuster of a Cabernet has fine-grained tannins and a long finish. 150 cases produced.

Notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, chocolate and gravely minerality emerge from the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon JCB #10, and it’s a full-bodied, opulent, blockbuster style wine that ticks all the right boxes. With awesome purity, fine, polished tannin, terrific concentration, and a great finish, it will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 2+ decades.

Made as a counterpoint to the JCB #1, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon JCB #10 shows the more powerful, concentrated, structured side to Cabernet. Blackcurrants, crème de cassis, vanilla bean, scorched earth, and a hint of background oak all emerge from this big, rich, opulent beauty. With fine tannin, full-bodied richness, and a surprisingly elegant, weightless texture, it’s a gorgeous 2015 that will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 25+ years.

Another majestic effort from Boisset is the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon JCB No. 10. This is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville and 10% Petit Verdot. The wine shows terrific floral notes intermixed with blackberry and blueberry fruit, blackcurrants as well, subtle earthiness, a full-bodied, multilayered mouthfeel and a terrific finish of close to 50 seconds. This is a stunner and there are 235 cases of this unfiltered classic. Drink it over the next ten or more years.

This broad-shouldered, full-bodied wine shocks and awes with its clove and black pepper notes that are as savory as a fine steak, with which it would pair brilliantly. Oak and tannin form a shield of power that girds the black fruit for further battle.

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon JCB No. 10 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, mostly from the westside of St. Helena. This wine spent 19 months in 50% new French oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. There are only 210 cases of it, but it is a sensational effort. With an inky black color, notes of blackberry, blueberry, cassis, licorice, graphite and incense. It is full-bodied, layered and a big, juicy, succulent mouthful of Cabernet Sauvignon to drink now and over the next 20+ years.

This is a massively dense, extracted and dry wine, entirely varietal and brooding in style. Tobacco and leather form its core, with the fruit elusive and pushed backward. Smoky oak penetrates the thick walls of tannin, forming a combustible, lengthy finish.  — V.B.

There are fewer than 100 cases of the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon JCN No. 10, a tannic, muscular, dense effort made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Clone 4. A backward, muscular wine built for long-term aging, it is more structured and masculine than most 2012s. It was difficult to evaluate because of its massive structure.

A solid wine with currants, mint and berry character. Medium to full body, soft tannins and a juicy finish. Opens on the palate with air. Drink or hold.

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon JCB No. 10 reveals a strikingly pure, black currant-scented nose with lots of high quality wood in the background, and good framework, structure and intensity. Young and exuberant, it shows lots of upside potential, but it is currently closed with high tannins as well as wood. However, there is a lot of impressive raw materials evident.

The word massive barely begins to describe this Cabernet Sauvignon. It aims to compete with anything from Napa Valley, and does so largely successfully. The palate offers waves of ripe blackberries, black currants, dark chocolate and smoky oak flavors. What’s harder to put into words is the elegance and balance. Despite its serious heft, the wine feels comfortable…