Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Olive Hill Estate Vineyards Special Selection, made from the estate’s finest lots and vineyard parcels, possesses a similar nearly opaque dark ruby/purple color as well as chewy black currant fruit, cedarwood, licorice and well-concealed oak. Savory, with slightly finer-grained tannins than in the basic Cabernet Sauvignon, this strong effort admirably displays what Cabernet Sauvignon can achieve in the Sonoma Valley. Drink it over the next decade.
While Sonoma County is acclaimed—and rightfully so—for its Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandels, it also produces exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Of the region’s 18 American Viticultural Areas, only a handful produce top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon. These appellations include Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Sonoma Valley and Dry Creek Valley. Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignons made in these appellations can offer a complex array of aromas and flavors. Fruit notes such as blackberry, blackcurrant, cassis, black cherry and raspberry often are accompanied by hints of graphite, dusty earth, cigar box, toast and vanilla. The varietal has a rich history in Sonoma, and some of these Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet-based blends rival the best from Napa Valley.