Winemaker Notes
Explosive aromas of currant, plums, baker’s chocolate and rose petal are followed with secondary notes of gravel, cedar box and vanilla bean. Flavors of warm black cherry compote, hoisin, black olive, cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate are framed by the natural minerality that is a hallmark of Blueline. The finish is long and polished with a wonderful lift from the 3% Cabernet Franc, the first time its been added to Blueline Cab. This is plush and rich but make no mistake it is a massive wine that has a good 20-30 years of life.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon Blueline Estate shows the classic, more focused, elegant – yet also concentrated – style of the vintage brilliantly. Sporting a dense purple hue as well as killer notes of crème de cassis, blueberries, scorched earth, graphite, and noticeable minerality, it's medium to full-bodied and has terrific purity of fruit, plenty of tannins, and a great, great finish. It's tight, backward, and in need of 2-4 years of bottle age, but this classic, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon will have 2-3 decades of longevity.
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James Suckling
A firm, tight Napa red with blackberry and blueberry aromas and flavors. The focused, polished tannins are tense and driven, giving the wine nice length. Better after 2022.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Blueline Estate charges out of the gate with bold crème de cassis, plum preserves and Black Forest cake scents plus suggestions of underbrush, pencil lead, tobacco leaf and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers lovely tension to the juicy black fruit layers, supported by firm, grainy tannins and finishing on a lingering mineral note. Rating : 94+
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Decanter
Aromas here perfectly balance charred-oak aromas with those of fresh purple flowers and structured red fruits. More lush and fleshy on the palate than the Hourglass Estate bottling, but with a similarly angular quality to the tannins. In need of softening up to come into its own, a well-made expression nonetheless.
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.