Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate may be one of Ric Forman's finest wines to date (keep in mind he was producing some of the great Sterling Cabernet Sauvignons of the early 1970s). The 2007 is a slightly more voluptuous, flamboyant, and exuberant version of the 2006. The color is a healthy dense purple, and the bouquet reveals plenty of creme de cassis, licorice, wood smoke, and forest floor notes, a soaring, multidimensional, velvety, full-bodied texture, and ripe tannins. The sweetness of the tannins and the wine’s lush, heady texture are reminiscent of a ripe Pomerol. It will evolve over two decades
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.