Winemaker Notes
The 2021 Helena Dakota shows blackberry coulis, black plum liqueur, freshly ground coffee, and subtle dried bay leaf. The palate texture is firm and marked by
flavors of bittersweet dark baking cocoa, countered by supple fruit and lush florals. The finish is long and laced with iron minerality.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A deeper, saturated purple color, the 2021 Helena Dakota Vineyard is sourced from a more insulated and protected site with a lower elevation compared to the Helena Montana Vineyard, featuring alluvial clay soils, and is also entirely Cabernet Sauvignon. It offers resinous and deeper notes of blackcurrants, pressed sage, pencil lead, menthol, and floral perfume. The palate is full-bodied and broad-shouldered, with great energy driven by a fresh spine of acidity, ripe tannins, and a long, salty, and sanguine finish.
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James Suckling
Wow, so densely layered in velvety tannins and lavish black fruit. A stunning, medium-bodied wine with great power that's kept in check by the slightly austere structure and insistent tannins. Deep black cherry, blackcurrant, graphite and espresso flavors that expand on the palate and linger in the finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard was matured for 15 months in 85% new French oak. It has an opaque ruby color and pure, detailed scents of blackcurrant, blueberry, violet and crème brûlée. The full-bodied palate is elegant, with a modest 13.8% alcohol. It’s notable for its polished texture, which offers both plushness and power. Its dark fruit is coiled and mineral-driven at this early stage, yet its very long, violet-laced finish hints at so much more to come.
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.
A small and picturesque valley separating Napa Valley on its south border and Alexander Valley to its north, Knights Valley excels in similar varieties as the two aforementioned appellations, namely red Bordeaux varieties and blends, as well as Sauvignon blanc. Originally established by Beringer Vineyards, today several outstanding producers claim acreage here. The circadian cooling effects of the nearby Pacific Ocean create a nighttime respite for vineyards during the hot growing season.