Winemaker Notes
Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is blended of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet colored, it leaps from the glass with evolving scents of Black Forest cake, crème de cassis and stewed plums plus hints of menthol, cigar box, charcuterie, powdered cinnamon and yeast extract. Medium to full-bodied, rich and decadent, it has a plush frame of finely grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering minty note.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a strong, dry and tannic Cabernet Sauvignon, with intense blackberry, black currant and new oak flavors. Right now, it’s immature, offering little beyond sheer power. Will it age? Six years is no problem. After that, the overripeness, in the form of raisins, may easily kick in.
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.