Far Niente Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
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Tasting
Panel -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
The fruit was sourced from the gravelly volcanic-loam soil of the estate’s Martin Stelling Vineyard. Teeth-grabbing cocoa tannin's wrap around a firm body that emanates deep, dark fruit from start to finish. Aged in 70% new French oak for 20 months, the wine morphs into bright, expressive, velvety layers.
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Wine Enthusiast
An outstanding vintage of a beautiful wine, this includes 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec. Tobacco, sage, cedar and pencil shaving contrast well against a foundation of rich, layered red fruit, from currant to cherry, and well integrated specks of peppery, spicy oak. Enjoy from 2028–2038. Cellar Selection
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Bottled is mostly from the Stelling Vineyard, with contributions from Sullenger, plus a bit of Malbec and Petit Verdot from Airshow Vineyard on Oakville Cross Road. The final blend is 90.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.6% Petit Verdot and 2.7% Malbec, all aged 20 months in 70% new French oak. Cedar, cherries, black cherries, cassis and subtle sage shadings all appear on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is fleshy and supple, pretty soft and ready to go, but with just enough velvety tannins on the finish to suggest moderate ageability.
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Wine Spectator
Creamed plum and blackberry notes glide through this plush and alluring red, while subtle loam, bay leaf and sweet tobacco accents fill in along the way, with a nice iron twang at the end. Approachable already, but there's no rush. Drink now through 2032.
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James Suckling
Fresh-currant, pine, mocha and licorice aromas on the nose. Praline, too. It’s medium-bodied with firm, sleek tannins. Silky and juicy. Try from 2022.
Other Vintages
2017-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.