Mark Ryan The Dissident Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Plush in integrated tannins and a perfume of rose petal, the 2023 The Dissident is an accessible, full-bodied offering of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon blended with 18% Merlot, 4% Malbec, and smidgens of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The oak leaves a sweetness to the finish that works well. Drink now.

The wine’s black
fruit aromas are almost outshone by its candied lavender and loamy soil notes. However, its blackberry
and black cherry flavors dominate the palate, joined
by traces of cedar and espresso. The medium-bodied

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wine’s acidity is juicy, but its black tea tannins are
formidable. The Dissident, 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc
and 1% Petit Verdot, spent 18 months in French oak
that was 40% new and 60% used. —M.A