Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of ink and blueberries. Some stones, too. Full body, dusty-textured tannins and a rich finish. Yet this remains agile and formed.
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Wine Enthusiast
This full-bodied, velvet-textured wine has an exotic aroma like a pine forest and tastes like a bowl full of blueberries. Ripe, almost jammy flavors coat the tongue, and vibrate with black currant on the finish. Fine-grained tannins give the texture lots of grip, and support the ripe fruit flavors so they stay dry and appetizing sip after sip.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A sexy 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, made from a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Petite Sirah, and 1% Merlot aged 21 months in 100% French oak, this is delicious, reasonably priced wine. It has a dense ruby/purple color, loads of blackcurrants and black cherry fruit, licorice, attractive opulence and sweet tannins. Drink it over the next decade.
At Hoopes Family Vineyard and Winery, the love of wine and farming are priority number one. Family owned and operated, dedicated to crafting wines that seamlessly capture the relationship between grape-grower and winemaker. The wines marry old-world-farming and taste profiles with new-world fruit flavors and ripeness. Since 1999, the goal with the flagship Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon has been to capture the truest expression of the old-vine vineyard's terroir. Planted in 1983 by Spencer Hoopes, it was previously a fruit source for a number of famous estates until the winemaking began being done in house. When the second-generation Proprietor Lindsay Hoopes took the reins, she hired Heidi Barrett prodigy Anne Vawter as Winemaker. Anne broadened the scope to include very limited production Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, Chardonnay, Syrah and Merlot, showcasing the diverse appellations of Napa Valley. Along with Dante’s Block, the Reserve Cabernet named after our beloved canine mascot, these boutique wines are only available direct from the winery.
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.