FROM THE CRITICS - Meteor’s 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Perseid jumps from the glass with sweet scents of tobacco, leather, spices, dried cherries, and underbrush. Intense, layered and expressive, the 2011 stands out for its balance, personality, and class. Overall, the 2011 is a delicate Perseid, and the wine needs time to fully come together, but it is impressive all the same. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

Bright red-ruby. Complex, stylish nose combines red berries, licorice, and herbs. Juicy, spicy and perfumed, offering lovely inner-mouth definition to its pretty berry flavors. Not under-ripe in spite of its unusually low alcohol: I could easily get used to this style. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins and good length. “The 2011 will always be about nose and structure,” noted Dawnine Dyer. This release includes the fruit that would normally have gone into the estate’s flagship wine, as Dyer felt the vintage lacked density and polish.” – Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar

FROM WINEMAKER DAWNINE DYER - Aromas of cassis, red cherry and bright notes of French tarragon present themselves immediately, with secondary aromas of mocha and lightly roasted coffee mingling with notes of mineral-rich sandalwood. Lifted, bring acidity on the palate, and a “nervy” balance showcase this elegant wine and refined dry tannins complete the picture. The wine opens slowly to a more typical black cherry and berry, both lingering and chewy.

 FROM SOMMELIER AND FORMER GENERAL MANAGER JASON ALEXANDER- It is often said that “difficult vintages separate the great vineyards and winemakers from the rest.” In every cliché there is truth, and in 2011 this truth is evident in the bottle. The 2011 vintage challenged vineyard manager and winemakers up and down the valley with unusually cool and wet conditions that left the ordinarily imperturbable Cabernet Sauvignon grapes susceptible to fungal diseases that are rarely seen in Napa Valley. The most successful got aggressive in the vineyard, removing fruit in multiple passes and opening up the canopy for extra sunshine at the possible expense of overexposed fruit. Ultimately, quality was about refusing to accept anything but perfect fruit, with winemakers and vineyard crews sorting in the vineyard and double sorting the berries as they headed to the press. The hard work is evident in the best wines from the vintage, which display pure aromas, bracing structure and lower alcohol levels than most years.