Winemaker Notes
Enticing aromas of bing cherry, dried lavender and roasted coffee beans awake the senses and set the stage for a full throttled palate of ripe blackberry and both red and black cherries. An undercurrent of seamlessly integrated oak shows itself with notes of cedar, all spice and sandalwood and adds to the fresh, lifted flavor profile that carries all the way through the lengthy finish. Amazing energy and verge, this wine is structured to age for decades but also quite drinkable upon release. CRU is always crafted with meticulous attention to detail in Vineyard 29's gravity flow facility, which assures that each vintage is showing beautifully right out of the gates.
Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 1% Petite Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The delicious 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Cru is a terrific introduction to the Vineyard 29 style, plus it's reasonably priced and should be at least somewhat available, as 4,600 cases were produced. Black cherries, cassis and dusty earth notes mark the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is smooth, velvety and supple. It even adds hints of chocolate cake and black olives on the finish, each balancing out the other and providing additional complexity.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.