Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley checks in as 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent over two years in 45% new French oak. Its ruby/purple color is followed by gorgeous notes of crème de cassis, graphite, lead pencil, spice, and ripe tobacco. Finesse-oriented, incredibly elegant, medium to full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, it's a brilliant Cabernet Sauvignon that shines for its elegance and purity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon features wonderfully pure notes of ripe blackcurrants, wild blueberries and black cherry compote with touches of cedar chest, candied violets, pencil lead and dark chocolate. The full-bodied palate is jam-packed with concentrated black fruits, framed by exquisitely ripe, fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with impressive length and loads of black berry layers. Rating: 93+
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Wine Spectator
Intense, with dark loam and fig notes leading off, working in unison as they drive through, picking up tobacco, black currant, sage and roasted juniper accents along the way. Muscular style.
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Wine Enthusiast
A 100% varietal appellation wine, this is earthy in sage and pencil shavings, with a mild, softly smooth structure of rich blueberry and black currant. Thick concentration emphasizes the firm tannin and generous oak, with a finishing touch of mocha.
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.