Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Fermented in stainless steel, then aged 16 months in French oak (60% new), this wine is brightly aromatic in tones of cherry, cassis and spicy clove. Supple and integrated on the palate, it has depth at its core, with an intense ripe berry flavor.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Open-knit and beautifully crafted, the excellent 2015 Bella Union Cabernet Sauvignon serves up loads of ripe, black fruit flavors, a smidgeon of oak, and a touch of sweet tannins. Pair this classic Napa Valley Cabernet with a bacon-wrapped eye of round roast. (Tasted: January 19, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
Blackberry fruit along with herbal liqueur, cedar and licorice. Full body, lots of ripe plum fruit, medium acidity and a fruit-forward finish. Drink now.
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Wine & Spirits
This is the newest project from the team at Far Niente, a blend focused on cabernet sauvignon with a small portion of franc and petit verdot. It’s made by Megan Melief, formerly the assistant winemaker at Nickel & Nickel. It starts off hiding behind a wall of oak, with black-walnut scents and mineral-inflected tannins. That oak integrates with air, adding richness to the tannins and bringing out a tapenade scent. Substantial, bold and smoky, this is a cabernet for aged beef.
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.