Winemaker Notes
Bursting with a complex notes of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, and cedar shavings, this Cabernet Sauvignon's round, supple mouthfeel coats the palate in silky, velvet tannin.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Matured in used French oak, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon has intense aromas of blackcurrant, mint chocolate, graphite, bay leaves and lilac. The full-bodied palate is elegantly styled with pure, crunchy flavors and soft, approachable tannins. It’s balanced by bright, mouthwatering acidity and has a long, floral finish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2023 Alma de Cattleya CABERNET SAUVIGNON shows a deep ruby color with aromas of dried blackberry and lightly toasted oak, tantalizing and pleasing; medium-bodied with silky-textured tannins; dry, with balanced acidity; black currant flavors are expressive and refined; finishing elegant and composed. Paired with roast chicken seasoned with exotic spices—think warm notes of cumin, coriander, paprika, and a touch of cinnamon—the wine’s supple texture and balanced structure complement the dish’s savory depth, while its bright fruit lifts the aromatic spices, creating a harmonious, flavorful, and quietly sophisticated pairing. (Tasted: March 18, 2026, San Francisco, CA)
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Jeb Dunnuck
A medium red color, the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon is entirely Cabernet Sauvignon, characterized by valley floor fruit with a straightforward and pure feel. It’s lifted on the nose with notes of red cherries, hints of graphite, and fresh red flowers. It’s medium-bodied, with fine but present tannins, and it’s refreshing, making it a lovely wine to drink in the near term.
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.
The Rutherford sub-region of Napa Valley centers on the town of Rutherford and covers some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyard real estate, spanning from the Mayacamas in the west, to the Vaca Mountains on the other side of the valley.
Inside of the Rutherford AVA, bordering the Mayacamas, is a stretch of uplands called the Rutherford Bench. (These bench lands technically run the length of Oakville as well). Mountain runoff creates deep, well-drained, alluvial soils on the bench, giving vine roots plenty of reason to permeate deep into the ground. The result is wine with great structure and complexity.
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvingons and Bordeaux Blends garner substantial attention for their enticing fragrances of dusty earth and dried herbs, broad and juicy mid-palates and lush and fine-grained tannins. The sub-appellation claims some of the valley’s most prized vineyards today, namely Caymus, Rubicon and Beckstoffer Georges III.
It is also home to Napa’s most influential and historic personalities. Thomas Rutherford, responsible for the appellation's name, made serious investments here in grape growing and wine production between the years of 1850 to 1880. Gustave Niebaum purchased a large swath of land and completed his winery in 1887, calling it “Inglenook.” Today this remains the oldest bonded winery in California. Georges Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard in 1900, making it the oldest continuous winery in the state. Latour also hired the famous enologist, André Tchelistcheff, a man credited for single-handedly defining the modern Napa winemaking style.