Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Very dark-colored, with a wonderfully seductive mocha- and vanilla-scented aroma, and rich, plush, enormously concentrated currant, black cherry, plum, anise, brown sugar and a slightly pruny edge. Young and potent, yet graceful and detailed. A masterful effort.--'81/'91 California Cabernet retrospective.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I tasted four vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, a wine that is aged for three years in barrel before it is released. There are approximately 1000 cases produced each vintage. The 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a richer, more complete wine than the 1990, with exceptional ripeness and richness of fruit, full body, and additional complexity and personality.
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.