Winemaker Notes
Seamless and rich, the 2018 Futo OV/SL boasts extraordinary purity and finesse. The flavors are deep and evenly layered throughout. Lavender, mint, violet, licorice and blueberry notes grace the palate, while a host of sweet floral notes and exotic spices are fused into the eternal finish.
Blend: 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very cool with conifer, mushroom, chili, currant and pine-needle aromas. Full bodied with saturated tannins that just fill the mouth. Gorgeous length and depth. It builds nicely on the palate. The quality of the tannins is beautiful. 66% cabernet sauvignon, 17% cabernet franc, 14% merlot and 3% petit verdot. Unfined and unfiltered. Fabulous to try now, but will be even greater in 2025.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Always a co-ferment of two sites, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon OV|SL reveals a dense purple hue as well as gorgeous crème de cassis, graphite, wildflowers, crushed stone-like minerality, and new leather-like aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied, concentrated, powerful 2018 that has the vintage's more reserved, focused mouthfeel, building tannins, and a great finish. This beautiful, impeccably balanced 2018 needs 3-5 years of bottle age and will keep for 30+. Rating: 97+
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.