Winemaker Notes
The first earth-driven aromas of this wine become more complex with notes of exotic spices, white flowers, dried roses, talcum powder, lavender and ash, evolving into a sweet, ethereal perfume on the nose. On the palate, the wine offers delicious flavors of red licorice, raspberry, black cherry and cranberry, a core density balanced by minerality and loamy notes, and a long finish of fine dusty tannins and wet stone.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The last vintage of Accendo made by Françoise Peschon before turning over the reins to Nigel Kinsman, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon shows a touch of garnet creeping into the wine's color, but it comes across as largely youthful for 10 years old, with scents of vanilla, sage and bay leaf joining redcurrants and cherries on the nose. It's medium- to full-bodied, silky-textured, elegant and long on the finish. It should continue to drink well for at least another decade.
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Wine Spectator
Offers ample fruit, as creamy boysenberry, blackberry and blueberry notes glide through easily, framed liberally with warm cocoa and vanilla details and ending with a long, polished feel. Subtle mint and tobacco elements peek through at the very end, keeping this nicely grounded. Fruit-driven but built to last. Drink now through 2038. 617 cases made.
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James Suckling
This is perfumed and extremely complex with a dark-berry, floral character and hints of chocolate and tile. Lots of blackcurrants, too. Full-bodied, firm and silky with spicy and earthy undertones. Very long and pretty. Shows finesse. Better in 2021.
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.