Winemaker Notes
The 2020 Viking Estate Vineyard Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, matured for 20 months in 65% new French oak, has a deep ruby color and inviting aromas of cassis, leather, tobacco, iron, and violet with wafts of dried thyme and sage. The full-bodied palate offers concentrated, spicy fruits, abundant powdery tannins, and refreshing acidity, finishing long with streaks of oak spice.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature Viking Vineyard, matured for 20 months in 65% new French oak, has a deep ruby color and inviting aromas of cassis, leather, tobacco, iron and violet with wafts of dried thyme and sage. The full-bodied palate offers concentrated, spicy fruits, abundant powdery tannins and refreshing acidity, finishing long with streaks of oak spice.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature showed well, with some serious black fruits, cedarwood, graphite, and spicy wood notes giving way to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, nicely structured Cabernet Sauvignon that has ripe tannins and a great finish. Aged 20 months in 65% new French oak, it’s a beautiful wine in the making.
Range: 92-94 -
Vinous
Dusty, dark and brooding, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature Viking Estate Vineyard opens slowly in the glass, hinting at wild berries, rosemary and a dusty rose. The 2020 is sleek and cool-toned in feel, with a tart concentration that slowly builds, balanced by vibrant acidity, as fine tannins collect toward the close. This finishes structured with a staining of minerality and dark inner florals that echo on. The 2020 is incredibly backward and structured today, yet full of potential.
Rating: 93+
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.
