Winemaker Notes
#99 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2024
This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is harvested from Block 2 of Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard, which sits on the western bench of the Oakville AVA in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains. Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard famously delivers fruit with lush aromatics and fine tannins.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
First vintage from this new label, sourced from a topnotch independent vineyard. Luscious, deep and concentrated in black fruit and dark chocolate, braced by dense, massive fine-grained tannins that bode well for aging. Dark spices, star anise, black cherries, baked blueberries and touches of vanilla bean and tobacco.
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.