Winemaker Notes
Rich and luxurious, this deep ruby-colored wine displays a lovely purity of fruit, with aromas of blackcurrant and boysenberry leading to notes of blueberry and a touch of dried herbs on the palate. Finely grained tannins and a backbone of graphite balance the plush black fruits, creating a silky mouthfeel with a smooth yet powerful finish. Sourced from select vineyards across Napa Valley, this wine beautifully encapsulates the entirety of the appellation.
This wine makes an excellent pairing alongside grilled skirt steak with shiso chimichurri.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A juicy, fruity red with plum, blueberry, chocolate and some hazelnut. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins and a delicious finish. Always balanced and excellent quality.
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Decanter
Cedary aromas with notes of ripe blackcurrant and coffee beans. Firm fine-grained tannins with a bitter chocolate persistent finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Napa Valley vineyard sources for the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley were spread all the way from Calistoga to Coombsville. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it delivers bold, seductive scents of Black Forest cake, warm cassis and ripe black plums with hints of lavender, menthol and spice cake. The medium to full-bodied palate offers mouth-filling black fruit preserves flavors with a ripe, grainy texture and a long, spicy finish.
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Wine Spectator
Bright and direct, with a lively edge to the cassis and cherry reduction core that has good cut through the licorice-coated finish. Drink now through 2026.
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.