Winemaker Notes
The Gaspare Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant and powerful wine that is iconic of the Oak Knoll District. The aromas of blackberry and blueberry also have a note of brown sugar and cedar. The flavors are dark fruit with ripe, fruit sweetness. The structure of this wine is balanced with tannins that are robust, but not too aggressive.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This tempting, concentrated yet well-structured wine packs abundant black cherries, black olives, rosemary and dark chocolate flavors into a velvety, strong frame of tannins and subtle acidity that holds it rather tightly. It should drink best from 2028–2040.
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Decanter
From the Gaspare Vineyard in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, this is an opulent Napa Cabernet. A nice showing in a challenging vintage. Alluring aromas of pure black fruits, herbs, oak and baking spices. Full-bodied with saturated black fruits redolent of blackberry jam and black currant, with potent tannins, and a long, kirsch-driven finish.
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James Suckling
Notes of toasted spices, black coffee and chocolate with dark plums and blackberries. Medium- to full-bodied with sleek tannins and a juicy dark-berry backbone. Tasty and firm at the end.
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.
As one of Napa’s coolest sub-appellations, the area begs for diversity among its vineyards. Merlot and Chardonnay firmly compete with Cabernet Sauvignon for a place here. Some of Napa’s best Zinfandels also come from the Oak Knoll District.
Situated far in Napa’s southern end, Oak Knoll receives a strong cooling influence from both the San Pablo Bay and the Pacific Coast’s evening fog and breezes. Summer days are warm but on average ten degrees cooler than in St. Helena farther north up the valley; summer nights are chilly. A long growing season promotes for leisurely ripening of grape berries, resulting in an impressive balance of sugars, phenols and acidity.
Notable producers include Trefethen, one of the appellation’s oldest wineries, Robert Biale, legendary Zinfandel producer and Lewis Cellars, a family-run, hands-on establishment.