WINEMAKER'S NOTES:
Named after founder Maurice Marciano. “M” is a terroir-driven, richly layered French Bordeaux-style blend that balances the density and finesse of our Estate Cabernet Sauvignon with the silky texture and perfumed aromatics of our best blocks of Cabernet Franc. Hand-picked at night to keep the fruit chilled, then gently hand-sorted, fermented, barrel-aged 22 months in French oak barrels, and bottled unfiltered.
Visually, the wine is dark mahogany in color, bursting with beautiful intense aromas of black cherry, blackberries, vanilla, freshly cut Ipe wood, fresh herbs, cedar, sarsaparilla, and graphite.
On the palate, the wine is rich with soft, fresh tannins, boasting a generously layered mid-palate with flavors of baking spices, unsweetened cocoa, black summer berry coulis, and a hint of dried cranberries and figs, culminating in a well-balanced, dry finish.
Very approachable upon release, decanting is recommended to allow the full expression of the bottle bouquet to develop. Cellaring 3-5 years will be beneficial but can easily be kept 25+ years.
66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Cabernet Franc, 7% Petit Verdot
TASTING NOTES:
With 35% Cabernet Franc planted on the 10-acre vineyard at Marciano Estate, this M label showcases the extra proportion of this grape. The 2019 M by Marciano is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Cabernet Franc. Deep purple-black in color, it bursts with bombastic crème de cassis, blueberry pie and spice cake scents, followed hints of Indian spice, candied violets and dark chocolate, with a waft of menthol. The concentrated, full-bodied palate has a velvety and a fantastic line of freshness supporting the generous, shimmering layers of blue and black fruits, finishing with a compelling lift.
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 97 pts.
The 2019 M Proprietary Red Wine is cut from the same cloth as the 2018, yet possibly with even more opulence and baby fat, yet it's also quite structured. Lots of pure cassis, graphite, spice, spring flowers, and graphite define the bouquet, and it's full-bodied, with building, ripe, velvety tannins, a great mouthfeel, and a beautiful finish.
- Jeb Dunnuck, 97 pts.
