Tasting Notes
Robert Parker 97
An explosive, captivating wine, the 2009 Futo bursts from the glass with an exotic melange of incense, tobacco, wild flowers, licorice and plums. Full-bodied and racy, the 2009 covers every inch of the palate with stunning depth and purity. The tannins are firm and quite present, but there is so much fruit they are nearly buried. Readers will be tempted to drink the 2009 young, but my impression is that patience will be highly rewarded. This is yet another striking, totally compelling wine. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029. I was blown away by the wines I tasted with Tom Futo and his team, headed by winemaker Jason Exposto. Readers should make an effort to taste Futo’s second wine, OV, a nod to Oakford Vineyards, the previous winery on these grounds. Futo’s OV is easily one of the best second wines in the valley. In just about any other winery it would be the top wine. And a great one, at that. As for the flagship FutoYwell, it is pretty amazing in all three vintages I tasted. Futo fans will be happy to learn that the winery is working with a 25 year-old parcel in Stags’ Leap that will inform a new bottling if the quality of fruit is up to the estate’s fanatical standards. Tel. (707) 944-9333
Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029
