Winemaker Notes
The color of the 2022 Rattlesnake is near opaque purple. The nose is very intense, with blackberry pie, caramel, dark roast coffee, cola, and raspberry reduction pouring out of the glass. Under these intense aromatics hides some volcanic minerality and crushed violets. The wine is ultra rich, plush and powerful on the palate. Darker fruit comes out, mostly reduced cassis matched by intense dark chocolate. The tannins are big, chalky, and matched by the famous Spring Mountain acidity. Dark chocolate covered cherries linger on the finish. This is an intense powerful wine that is barely starting to show the myriad of flavors it has to offer 19-20 years.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The pinnacle of the range at Barnett is the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Rattlesnake Estate Bottled. It's the most concentrated of the various bottlings, accenting black cherries, cassis and raspberry notes with hints of crushed stone and pencil shavings. Full-bodied and firm but approachable, it's a classic mountain Cabernet with two decades of potential longevity.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from Spring Mountain, the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Rattlesnake reveals a beautiful bouquet of blue fruits, violets, and lifted red and black plums, with darker chocolate notes adding complexity. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shows a round, supple texture with exotic incense and perfumed nuances.
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James Suckling
The nose is deep and brooding, with aromas of blackberries, mulberry compote and cedar. The palate is full-bodied with fine tannins and balanced acidity, offering notes of blackcurrants, ink and graphite.
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.
Above the town of St. Helena on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains sits the Spring Mountain District.
A dynamic region, its vineyards, cut by numerous springs and streams, vary in elevation, slope and aspect. Soils differ throughout with over 20 distinct types inside of the 8,600 acres that define the appellation. Within that area, only about 1,000 are planted to vineyards. Predominantly farmed by small, independent producers, the region currently has just over 30 wineries.
During the growing season, late afternoon Pacific Ocean breezes reach the Spring Mountain vineyards, which sit at between 400 and 1,200 feet. Daytime temperatures during mid summer and early fall remain slightly cooler than those of the valley floor.
Spring Mountain soils—volcanic matter and sedimentary rock—create intense but balanced reds with lush and delicate tannins. The area excels with Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot and in some cooler spots, Chardonnay.