Honoring their grandfather Vernon Rhodes, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon V.R. Special is juicy and generous in the glass. It opens with aromas of chocolate-covered blueberries, black raspberries and dark cherries that waft with an undercurrent of floral elements and sweet baking spices that lift the nose. Full-bodied, complex, layered and robust, the wine bursts on the palate with firm, drying tannins that grip the gumline while showing impeccable balance. The wine concludes with a long, lingering finish and tannic edge that remains persistent in the mouth as a parting sensation of elevated alcohol rises up the esophagus. The wine rested for 20 months in French oak, 50% new. Only 3,600 bottles were made. Give it a shot.

Blended with 5% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon V.R. Special bursts out of the glass with a generous nose of spiced plum, dusty cherry and blackberry jus, wafting with elegant oak tones of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Full-bodied and rich with texture, bold flavors balance effortlessly on the palate, and structured tannins provide a lift on the mid-palate along with bitter dark chocolate and cassis flavors. The wine ends with a persistent, long-lingering finish full of flavors of blackberry, dried herbs and elegant vanilla tones with a soft herbal complexity that evolves on the aftertaste. The wine rested in 44% new French oak. Wow, this is simply delicious. Well done! Just over 4,600 bottles were made.

Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec blended into the mix, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon V.R. Special begins with aromas of Saigon cinnamon, crème de cassis and subtle oak spices with a core of dark red and black fruit laced with mocha tones. Full-bodied on the palate, the wine is spiced and balanced with well-structured tannins that elevate the expression, bringing pleasure. This has good focus and concentration and lingers long on the robust and balanced finish. Give it some additional time in the bottle or enjoy it with food. 400 cases made.

The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon V.R. Special (98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot) is a downright hedonistic, sexy beauty that offers tons of blackcurrants, toasted spices, hints of chocolate and cedar in a rich, full-bodied, decadent, pleasure-bent style. It's beautifully done, and while a big wine, it stays nicely balanced and textured.

Another terrific effort that makes the most of the vintage is the 2013 Vr Special Cabernet Sauvignon, which has 15% Petit Verdot in the blend and saw 35% new oak barrels. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced and layered, it has a lifted, complex bouquet of spice, incense, plums and leather. It’s certainly enjoyable now, but its balance and mid-palate depth suggest it will keep for at least a decade.