Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I had a chance to do a mini-vertical of the Etude Cabernet Sauvignons, and all of them performed extremely well. Most of them appeared to need additional cellaring, and each of them suggested to me that they have another two decades of life. I rated the 1993, 92+ (it needs 2-4 years of cellaring).
As insiders know, these wines are the handcrafted products of one of California's most influential and successful winemakers/consultants, Tony Soter. Soter has a superb list of clients, including Araujo Estate, Dalla Valle, and Viader. His own wines are also brilliant, and in 1997, his portfolio will include a Pinot Noir produced from his first vineyard - in Oregon's Willamette Valley.
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Wine Spectator
Intense and vibrant, with rich, mocha-laced currant, mineral, blackberry and lead pencil flavors. Wonderful balance and sense of harmony, with a long, detailed finish and firm, gripping tannins.
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.