98pts Vinous

The 2017 Thorevilos is one of those rare wines that conveys both power and elegance.  Today, the tannins are a bit imposing, but that's Thorevilos.  What impresses most is the wine's delineation and clarity.  All the elements are so impeccably balanced.  Inky dark fruit, mocha, licorice, spice and leather are some of the many notes that pulse through the 2017.  Best of all, the 2017 is not as brooding as some other recent vintages, and it will be ready to deliver pleasure with just a few years in bottle.  It is a mind-blowing wine in every way. 

97pts Jeb Dunnuck

Lots of truffle, sandalwood, and spicy wood characteristics emerge from the 2017 Thorevilos, another elegant 2017 with ripe tannins, notable balance, and medium to full-bodied richness. As with all of Brad’s wines, the purity of fruit, balance, and just sheer class are remarkable. It’s going to benefit from short-term bottle age but keep for 25+.

97pts James Suckling

Incredible blackberries, blueberries and black cherries. Sandalwood, tile and terracotta. Sweet tobacco, too. A solid core of fruit here with tension and focus. Really framed and polished. Gorgeous. Savory finish. Mouthwatering. Drink after 2023, but hard not to drink now.

Winemaker Notes

Thorevilos was one of David's favorite haunts as a child. There were no vines then. Just pine trees, redwoods, an old olive grove. And a rusted hog wire hanging from a tree—“Hook Man” in Abreu family lore. These days it's the dirt that engrosses him. White tufa that turns to fine powder when you grind it beneath your foot. Tannish soil peppered with orange-brown pebbles. Streaks of dry, red earth. Sitting 800 feet above the valley floor, wedged between the St. Helena and Howell Mountain AVAs, Thorevilos doesn't belong to any sub-appellation. “It's an outlier,” David says. When the AVA boundaries were being determined, he could have argued to have it included. “But it wouldn't have made any difference to the vineyard. Or the wine.”

Blend:  60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot