Winemaker Notes
This wine has bright red fruit aromas -- bing cherries come to mind. In tandem with the extroverted fruit -- some sassy spices such as clove and even a hint of cinnamon. All of that layered with some vanilla and a hint of coffee bean.
Lively is the first word that comes to mind. Mouth-watering juiciness at the front palate are followed by a palate coating middle. Tannins -- velvety as expected. Long finish.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
You'll want to give this young Cab some time in the cellar, because it's locked down in tannins. Buried underneath the astringency is a wealth of sweet black currants and savory anise and sandalwood. Try after 2011.
-
Wine & Spirits
There's a bright cherry ping in the center of this wine, surrounded if not completely hidden within the tannin's fine-ground espresso roast flavor. The tannin is simple and delicious, a long, black line to connect it with braised short ribs.
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.