Winemaker Notes
There is more intensity of fruit than the previous vintage, showcasing Hewitt Vineyard's signature clove, vanilla and black cherry aromas combined with that classic "Rutherford Dust" in a bright and snappy version. Exotic plum and layers of cassis go on for a long, satisfying finish.
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
We recall Hewitt’s 2002 rendition as being a big and powerful, fully ripe Cabernet when young that very much required lengthy age thanks to its considerable complement of tannin, but its sheer depth and fruity potency convinced us as being insurance enough that patience would bring big rewards, and our faith in its future was not misplaced. No less retiring than it was in its early years and still showing deep and impressively extracted, blackcurrant fruit to spare with lots of flesh on its solid structural bones.
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.