Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is flashy and impressive for the sheer power and concentration of its fruit. Intense blackberry and cassis flavors sink deep and last long, accompanied by strong, new French oak and considerable tannins. It's a wine that needs serious cellar time; eight years from now, it could still be a baby.
Cellar Selection
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A slightly darker, richer wine than the Meritaggio, the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Three Acre possesses considerable depth and richness, while staying light on its feet, largely because of the predominant presence of the 337 Cabernet Sauvignon clone. Dark red berries, spices and flowers flesh out in a totally seductive wine. Firm Cabernet tannins appear on the finish, but they are beautifully balanced and in no way detract from the wine’s considerable appeal. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029.
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Wine Spectator
An earthier, more rustic and extracted style, dense, potent and very tannic, but also complex and focused. Requires patience. Best from 2014 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.