Winemaker Notes
"The first impression is of sweet fruit, and then the wine expands across the palate into deeper, riper layers of berries and cherries," said Winemaker Jeffrey Stambor, as he swirled and sipped the wine. "Well-integrated oak character heightens the aromas and laces the long, fruit-imbued finish. This richly-textured Cabernet is at once approachable and age-worthy."
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Here is proof that not all classic Cabernets from Napa come with three-digit price tags. For, while this one is not as compelling as its mate, it is going to provide more early drinking pleasure, and the keen focus to its fruit and the rich, milk chocolate and ripe cherry sweetness tinged with hints of loam and sassafras in its flavors are precise portrayals of Napa Valley Cabernet in its most inviting guise. Nothing at this price compares.
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.