Winemaker Notes
This 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon typifies the grace, complexity and power that is the Napa Valley. Dark plum in color with an exotic blend of black cherry, cassis, and blackberry with earth and leather notes and spice box aromatics. Rich and smooth on the palate with flavors that complement the aromas with hints of classic cherry vanilla, cedar, black tea, and pencil lead. This full-bodied wine exemplifies the positive impact of tannin maturation due to extended barrel aging. The finish is silky and supple with an elegance indicative of its organically grown origins within the Yountville appellation of the Napa Valley. Refined and accessible now with outstanding cellar potential through 2050.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A melange of red and black currants here with sweet oak spices, red capsicum and dark olives. Fruity and sappy on the medium-bodied palate, rounded by very silky tannins. Deliberately polished and juicy with quite a long finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is terrific and represents a solid value. Pure cassis and ripe blue fruits as well as tobacco, violets, and lead pencil notes all define the nose, and it's medium-bodied, with a focused, pure, classic mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and outstanding length.
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.