Winemaker Notes
The 2018 Ehlers' Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is our only non-Estate wine. Approximately 18% of the grapes for this wine were sourced from vineyards in Oakville and Yountville. The wine exhibits dusty aromas of dark and red berries, dry herbs, and spices in deep dark garnet. Black pepper and cedar, with hints of cherries, round out the nose. The first sip is earthy, mineral with pencil shaving and dust. Blueberries and dark chocolate accompany the long after taste. Medium to full-bodied with spices and cedar, boysenberries, and dry herbs like thyme and rosemary. Good tannins and structure.
Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Really solid, this red has a brambly edge, with plum, blackberry and red currant preserve notes showing good energy, thanks in part to a buried sassafras streak, all backed by a roasted apple wood- and licorice snap-fueled finish. Drink now through 2030.
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.