Winemaker Notes
After destemming, the berries are again hand sorted to ensure only berries reach the fermentation tank. The grapes are fermented in small lots to capture the essence of each vineyard site. Grapes are cold soaked for up to 2 days before fermentation, and maceration is extended up to 30 days to extract maximum color and flavor.
Drawing from each mountain site, the Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is rich with ripe dark fruits and blueberries, overlaid by subtle vanilla bean aromas. Well structured, with supple tannins.
"A beautiful Cabernet that shows a firm structure of acids and tannins, with perfectly ripened fruit that seduces the palate but doesn't go overboard. Floods the mouth with black currants, black cherry pie filling and cedar flavors, but stays firmly dry and balanced. Now through 2012." 91 Points
Wine Enthusiast
February 2009
"Impressive in its mix of perfectly cast fruit, inviting notes of complexity from minerals to loamy soils to hints of dark chocolate, this full-bodied wine is both supple and solid on the palate, and its lengthy flavors of cassis, cola, ripe cherries, fudge and dried wild flowers follow through handsomely. Tannin and acid tighten the wine in the finish and encourage four to eight years of quiet cellar aging." 91 Points
Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
Professional Ratings
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.