Winemaker Notes
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley) is a very serious wine. The blend is roughly equal parts estate and two sites in Coombsville. Deep, layered and potent, it has a ton to offer. At ten years of age, the 2014 is still unbelievably young. Dark cherry, red plum, mocha, grilled herbs, leather, incense and rose petal saturate the palate. The Napa Valley Cabernet is a serious overachiever.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon has a wonderfully compelling, bright, vibrant nose of kirsch, black raspberries and fresh blackcurrants with touches of lavender, bay leaves, pencil shavings, wood smoke and tobacco. The palate is medium to full-bodied, concentrated and packed with vivacious red and black fruit layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and oodles of freshness, finishing long with an enticing herbal lift.
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.