Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is so charming now, it's hard to keep from drinking it. But it also has the dynamic tension to age well. Chimney Rock enters a whole new ballgame with its 2009 releases, which can stand against almost anything in Napa Valley. With a fleshy mouthfeel, softly sculpted tannins and complex flavors of blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate and plum sauce, this wine is decadently delicious.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Tomahawk Vineyard is impressive in the way it is at once deep yet also weightless. Freshly cut flowers, spices, plums and black cherries literally waft from the glass in a Cabernet that remains light on its feet and totally graceful. The aromas and flavors are still on the primary side, so further cellaring is advisable. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.
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.