The 2021 The Laird is from the Laird vineyard, planted in 1958. This is dark, dense and brooding in its styling, showcasing a depth that the Forebear expresses differently. The latter vineyard (the Hillside vineyard) is almost a hundred years older than the Laird, and I find this to be a curious and interesting fact that bears little on the quality of the wine but heavily impacts/defines the character. The first time the fruit was sourced was in 2004, but it was 2005 that the first Laird was produced; the vineyard was finally purchased in full by Torbreck in 2014. The vineyard is split in its soil types, with black and red clay east to west, and the two sections are picked at different times, as the fruit ripens differently.

So, to the wine. Aromatically the wine leads with cocoa and cigar, armchair leather and old books. The palate follows this same smoking-room character and veritably stains the palate in flavor and length. This is a wine of enormous impact, one that lingers and stays in the mouth for ages after the wine has gone. The wine is moody and late-night in its vibe. 15.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.