Winemaker Notes
The latest vintage of Janzen Napa Valley Cabernet unites the unique mountain character of our estate fruit with the finesse offered by Cabernet from Rutherford and Oakville.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Starting with the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Janzen Napa Valley, it offers a complex, medium to full-bodied style with loads of plum and currant fruits, notes of sandalwood, dried herbs, and spice, ripe, velvety tannins, and impressive length on the finish. It's incredibly well done and has plenty of richness yet also a solid sense of freshness and elegance.
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.