Winemaker Notes
The 2017 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet is deep garnet in color with aromas of black forest fruits, dark cherry, and lingonberry and is complemented with notes of espresso, dark chocolate, cedar and graphite. The palate is met with flavors of chocolate truffle, berry pie, mocha, and black pepper. The sweet oak spice adds a vibrant lift to the wine while the mid palate is full and creamy with well-integrated tannins. The wine expresses a long finish and pairs well with rich foods or is delicious on its own. It drinks wonderfully now and will cellar well for decades.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A tight, dense red with berry, chocolate, currant and hints of bark. Full-bodied, yet tight and nicely framed with firm and tight, fine-grained tannins. Goes on for a long time. Fresh and attractive for a 2017. Drink or hold.
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.