Winemaker Notes
Cardinale is more than one wine – it is several wines from disparate mountain andbenchland vineyards along the Mayacamas and Vaca ranges that surround Napa Valley.Every bottle reveals the artistic sensibility of the winemaker, each vineyard lot fused into aseamless blend in which one can sense the constituent parts, but still taste them as one wine.Cardinale's philosophy is guided by the pursuit of grape selectivity in the vineyard, gentlehandling and the ability to accommodate the different winemaking needs of each vintage.
"When we approach the Cardinale blend, the key to success is finding the balance between themountainsides and the valley floor. Both our Oakville vineyard and the Stags Leap portion ofthe blend represented higher percentages in the 2004 final blend because it was clear that themountain wines needed the middle body that these valley floor vineyards provide. Thesweetness of the Stags Leap and the weight of Oakville fit in gracefully with the strength,minerality and black fruit characters from Veeder and Howell, and together they all play offof one another."
- Christopher Carpenter, Cardinale Winemaker
"Consistently one of the best proprietary blends of northern California, Cardinale's 2004 is 100%Napa fruit (from Mt. Veeder, Howell Mountain, Stags Leap District, and Oakville). This blend of91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot boasts a dense purple color in addition to sweet aromas ofkirsch, black currants, licorice, olives, and spice box. Fabulous texture, full-bodied power, pure fruit,and an opulent, voluptuous finish nearly conceal significant tannin. This beauty should drink wellyoung, yet age easily for 15 or more years."
Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
95 Points
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Consistently one of the best proprietary blends of northern California, Cardinale’s 2004 is 100% Napa fruit (from Mt. Veeder, Howell Mountain, Stags Leap District, and Oakville). This blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Merlot boasts a dense purple color in addition to sweet aromas of kirsch, black currants, licorice, olives, and spice box. Fabulous texture, full-bodied power, pure fruit, and an opulent, voluptuous finish nearly conceal significant tannin. This beauty should drink well young, yet age easily for 15 or more years.
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.