Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The aromas of blackberries, moss, bark and spices are compelling. Full-bodied, chewy and soft with a firmness and tension that gives the wine form and intensity. Austere yet soft at the end. A unique Napa cab experience. Drink or age.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vine probably comes from the oldest vines first planted by the Long Family on Pritchard more than 30 years ago. The wine has a dense purple color, an extra gear and level of concentration, plenty of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit intermixed with spring flowers and spice. Rich, multidimensional, full-bodied and impressive, this is a brilliant 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 20+ 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.