Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from a mountain terroir in the southern part of the valley, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard is all Cabernet that spent 26 months in new French oak. Its medium ruby/purple hue is followed by an impressive nose of cassis and currant fruits supported by notes of iron, tobacco, smoked earth, and rocky mineral nuances. It's another medium to full-bodied, fresh, focused, beautifully pure 2018 that does everything right. It will benefit from short-term cellaring and have two decades of longevity.
Rating:94+ -
Wine Enthusiast
Cedar and black pepper notes top this full-bodied and richly tannic wine, backed by deep, dense blackberries, black cherries and a firm texture. Cocoa and dark chocolate notes come out on the sip. Best from 2026.
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James Suckling
Plump dark fruit and berries, ground clove and roasted sage on the nose. Full-bodied with silky tannins. Savory fruit. Lots of chocolate and espresso, too.
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Wine & Spirits
An earthy wine, this starts with bright peppery spice, then settles into tart flavors of dried cranberries, cherries and sassafras. Its tannins will take on saucisson sec.
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Wine Spectator
Open-knit, with alluring red tea and singed sandalwood notes weaving around a core of damson plum and raspberry reduction. The finish is infused with a singed wood spice note. Drink now through 2029.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Just northeast of Napa city, Atlas Peak boasts some of Napa Valley’s highest elevation vineyards. Here the intense sunlight coupled with cool, nighttime temperatures produce grapes that are perfectly ripe, balanced and concentrated. The appellation is rich in volcanic soils and excels in the production of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.