Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Laurea comes from lots that didn't play well in the blend, and it's certainly one hell of a "second" wine. Blackcurrants, cassis, spring flowers, and violets all emerge on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, has an elegant seamless mouthfeel, and as with all of Nigel's wines, ultra-fine tannins.
Barrel Sample: 94-96 -
James Suckling
Bright and lively yet rich, with great depth, lots of spicy complexity and a lingering finish. It’s full-bodied and velvety in texture, offering baking spice and blackcurrant aromas, then vivid black cherries, spearmint, cocoa and dark chocolate on the palate.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot this vintage, the 2021 Laurea Red Wine is a sort of second wine, made up of lots that don't make the cut for Accent's top wine but that are too good to sell off as bulk. It's also meant to be more accessible young. Cherries are joined by some darker, plummy notes and a hint of blueberry on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is plush and velvety, then a bit more stern and tannic on its mocha-tinged finish. Drink it on the younger side with some rare beef or lamb.
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Vinous
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Laurea is a terrific wine for Accendo fans to drink in the near and medium term. Dark cherry, plum, mocha, new leather, tobacco, chocolate and incense are nicely pushed forward in this supremely elegant, juicy Cabernet Sauvignon from the Araujo family.
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Wine Spectator
Ripe and fresh, with a forward feel to its mix of crushed plum and blackberry compote. Licorice and apple wood notes and a subtle tug of earth fill in on the back end while keeping good, juicy energy. Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2036. 600 cases made.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.