Bello Family Vineyards Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
Product Details
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A sexy Cabernet Sauvignon, this blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, exhibits a deep ruby/purple color, loads of creme de cassis, spice box and cedar wood in a full-bodied, opulent style. This is irresistible and ideal for drinking over the next 15 or so years.
-
James Suckling
Aromas of chocolate, walnuts and berries follow through to a full body, lots of fruit and a spicy finish. Soft and juicy with hints of hazelnuts and chocolate.
Other Vintages
2017-
Robert
Parker
Winemaker Ross Wallace is a 1999 graduate of Fresno State University with a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutritional Science—Enology Option. Today, a 15-year Napa resident, he comes to Bello from tenures as winemaker at Hunnicutt Wine Company and cult-favorite Bryant Family Vineyards in St. Helena, as well as positions at other well-regarded Napa Valley wineries including Laird Family Estate, Nickel and Nickel Vineyards, Grgich Hills Estate, and Groth Vineyards as well as Craggy Range Winery in New Zealand.
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.
The Rutherford sub-region of Napa Valley centers on the town of Rutherford and covers some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyard real estate, spanning from the Mayacamas in the west, to the Vaca Mountains on the other side of the valley.
Inside of the Rutherford AVA, bordering the Mayacamas, is a stretch of uplands called the Rutherford Bench. (These bench lands technically run the length of Oakville as well). Mountain runoff creates deep, well-drained, alluvial soils on the bench, giving vine roots plenty of reason to permeate deep into the ground. The result is wine with great structure and complexity.
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvingons and Bordeaux Blends garner substantial attention for their enticing fragrances of dusty earth and dried herbs, broad and juicy mid-palates and lush and fine-grained tannins. The sub-appellation claims some of the valley’s most prized vineyards today, namely Caymus, Rubicon and Beckstoffer Georges III.
It is also home to Napa’s most influential and historic personalities. Thomas Rutherford, responsible for the appellation's name, made serious investments here in grape growing and wine production between the years of 1850 to 1880. Gustave Niebaum purchased a large swath of land and completed his winery in 1887, calling it “Inglenook.” Today this remains the oldest bonded winery in California. Georges Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard in 1900, making it the oldest continuous winery in the state. Latour also hired the famous enologist, André Tchelistcheff, a man credited for single-handedly defining the modern Napa winemaking style.