Andrew Will Cellars Andrew Will Sorella 2020 750ml

Flirting with triple digits, and perhaps the best Sorella yet, the 2019 Sorella explodes from the glass with a fantastic mineral essence that sways between dark red fruit tones, oak essence and freshly opened flowers. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is impeccably balanced with a silky-smooth mid-palate that bestows a stunningly beautiful wine with gobs of complexity and a ripe frame of glossy black raspberry and blackberry fruit tones. Unwinding across the finish, the wine unpacks gorgeous layers that seduce me for a second, third and fourth sip and finally begs me to finish the glass. Buy this ASAP! (Anthony Mueller)

Made from a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Sorella is fresh yet restrained and has a focused and red-fruited core of spiced potpourri. The nose is slightly compressed at the moment and takes some spinning in the glass to coax some of the more delicate and seductive nuances, revealing layers of complexity. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, this is a gorgeous, world-class wine whose true power comes from not being bold and massive but rather from being delicate, finessed and focused. The wine is balanced on the palate, with a compact frame, elegant structure, succulent acidity and fine-grained tannins before uncoiling across the mid-palate. The wine glides to a seductive and lingering finish and will undoubtedly be well-received when it is released in early 2025. It’s a fantastic bottling of Sorella, and I’ll end with a parting note that I shared with Chris and Will Camarda: “Bigger isn’t better... BETTER is better! This may be one of the most delicate Sorella bottlings I’ve had in many years.

The flagship from this talented team is the 2019 Sorella, which is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, and the rest Petit Verdot, all from the Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Deep purple-hued, with a great nose of cassis, blackcurrants, tobacco leaf and lead pencil, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, silky, polished tannins, and terrific overall balance. It shows the pure, elegant, seamless style of the vintage and will benefit from 3–4 years of bottle age and evolve nicely for at least two decades. This is pure class. (Jeb Dunnuck)

The flagship from this great estate is the 2018 Sorella, a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blend (8% each of Cabernet Franc and Merlot and the 4% Petit Verdot) that spent the same 22 months in 35% new French oak. Gorgeous crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, lead pencil, and chocolate define the bouquet, and it’s medium to full-bodied, flawlessly balanced, and has a great, great finish. A classically styled, structured, age-worthy beauty, it will benefit from 4–5 years of bottle age and have 2–3 decades of overall longevity. Trust me, this will pass undetected in a blind lineup of top Bordeaux.

Set to be released in spring of 2023, the 2018 Sorella is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% each of Merlot and Cabernet Franc with Petit Verdot filling in the remainder. Juicy, dusty and spicy aromas waft from the glass with succulent, floral notes that capture the nose. Spiced red cherries, potpourri and dusty black raspberry essences cartwheel with notions of lavender and rose hip before offering up delicate baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is initially subdued and grows in amplitude while offering a balanced structure with succulent tannins. The longer the wine sits on the palate, it increases in spiciness under the ripe, juicy dark red fruit tones. The Sorella continues to evolve in the mouth with persistence, lingering long, leaving behind flavors graphite, crème de cassis and black cherry skin. Just under 8,000 bottles were filled after the wine rested for 22 months in all French oak, 35% new. Set your calendar and put this on your shopping list for when it’s released. Bravo, another stunning vintage of Sorella on the books.

The 2018 Sorella is youthly coy in the glass, with a darkly alluring blend of dusty dried flowers, cinnamon and clove nuances giving way to pretty hints of violet pastilles. There’s an abundance of energy within, as tart cherries and blackberries cascade across a core of zesty acidity, and sour citrus hints adding a lovely tension toward the close. A coating of fine tannins frames the finish, creating a truly classic feel, as the 2018 tapers off with a staining of primary concentration. (Eric Guido)

The 2019 Sorella is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petite Verdot. It’s dark and brooding in the glass, displaying a burst of ashen stone and grilled herbs that gives way to black currant and exotic spice. Round and supple on the palate, this shows cooling acidity and a great depth of rich red and black fruits, contrasted by a saline mineral tinge. It tapers off with a peppery edge and a violet pastille flourish, leaving silty tannins and hints of licorice while finishing with outstanding length. The 2019 is still youthful and tense, yet it promises over a decade of positive evolution. (Eric Guido)

The 2020 Sorella is darkly floral with a perfumed blend of dried violets and roses, giving way to hints of red plum, fig, stone dust and sage. This displays silken textures contrasted by a core of tart red and black fruits as tactile mineral tones add form. Brisk acidity maintains amazing freshness. The 2020 finishes long and potent, with grippy tannins tugging at the cheeks without detracting from the experience. The 2020 is a much softer and more approachable Sorella, but with that said, it has the balance for a long and harmonious evolution.<br/><br/>

I don't think the 2020 Sorella is a match for recent vintages, but it's clearly an outstanding wine. Offering ample red and black fruits as well as notions of gravelly earth, chocolate, and roasted herbs, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, bright acidity, and firm tannins. It shows the more challenging style of the vintage with its narrower, firmer style, but it should round into form with 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for 15 years or more.