94-96
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"A barrel sample blended of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot aged in 100% new French oak, the 2017 Oakville Ranch Avoyelles is very deep purple-black with a beautiful nose of kirsch, redcurrant jelly and crushed black berries with a savory core of beef drippings, iron ore, tilled soil and cedar chest. The palate is medium to full-bodied with a firm, chewy frame and zippy line lifting the fruit to a long, perfumed finish. 100 cases are expected to be made."
92-95 Antonio Galloni - Vinous
"The 2017 Avoyelles, Patria's Cabernet Franc-based wine, possesses quite a bit of depth, but it is not fully put together, that is not surprising given the high percentage of Franc in the blend. The aromatics alone are striking, though, and suggest a very bright future, once all the elements have time to meld together."
93-95 Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com
"Lastly, the 2017 Avoyelles is blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot. It showed a firmer, fresher style compared to the 2016 yet has pretty, perfumed aromatics of spring flowers, violets, and blueberries. It will be interesting to see how this fills out over the course of its élevage, and while it doesn’t appear to match prior vintages, it’s nevertheless a beautiful wine."
"For the first year of its life, the 2017 Avoyelles was impenetrable. Then, in late November 2018, the wine started to blossom. The last 5 months in barrel saw a wonderful evolution and rounding of tannins to lengthen and soften the core. At bottling the wine reminded me of a cross between the 2013 and 2016. A blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Cabernet Franc, and 7% Petit Verdot was co-fermented in open top puncheons then pressed to 100% new oak. The lead aromas of black currant, crushed minerals, black cherry and hints of rose hips are followed on the palate with flavors of black currant, soy, hints of roasted plums and beef blood. This will be the longest lived Avoyelles to date." - Winery
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