Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2003 Lamb Vineyard (planted in 1982), displays the great terroir of this site in northeastern Napa Valley. Notes of creme de cassis, barbecue smoke, crushed rock and a volcanic earthiness emerge from this full-bodied, opulent (a characteristic of all the Fisher 2003s), pure, deep wine. Not as sexy as the Coach Insignia or as open-knit as the Cameron, the Lamb Vineyard is holding more in reserve. It also reveals some tannin and structure in the finish that its two siblings have shed. While impressive, its best days are still ahead of it. Give it another 2-3 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 15 years. Rating: 93+
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.