Winemaker Notes
From its inviting cherry and black currant aromas to its hints of vanilla, sage, and clove, this wine displays lovely French oak-inspired layers of sweetness and spice. The lush, dark berry layers echo on the beautifully balanced palate, where elegant, fine-grained tannins and an energetic beam of acidity frame the generous fruit flavors while carrying the wine to a long fruit and spice finish.
Blend: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
This Cab blended with 19% Merlot and 4% Cab Franc possesses a burly character with a satin heart. Bing cherry, cinnamon, and tobacco make an impres- sion up front before the juicy midpoint exudes a plethora of berry notes along with mountain brush; sleek, burnished cedar; and mulberry.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountainside has a deep garnet-purple color, bursting with bold scents of black cherries, mulberries and warm cassis, plus hints of fragrant earth and cedar. Full-bodied, intense and possessing bags of fresh, lively black fruits, it has a firm structure of grainy tannins, finishing long with a spicy kick. Rating : 91+
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2019 Acumen Mountainside Cabernet Sauvignon is a class act from start to finish. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows up with aromas and flavors of black fruit, licorice, herbs, and oak. Pair it with a juicy, grilled, well-marbled ribeye. (Tasted: June 20, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
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Jeb Dunnuck
Including 19% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, aged in 80% new French oak, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountainside sports a deep purple hue as well as big, juicy nose of red plums, blackberries, flowery incense, and spice. It's medium to full-bodied, round, and supple, and ideal for drinking over the coming decade or so. Best After 2022
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a lush, soft red that’s supple in tannin, with layers of dried herb, caramel, toffee and black fruit. It is engaging in its youth, showing a full-bodied palate that finishes in sweet oak.
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.