Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The sensational 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan Vineyard (100% varietal) is a candidate for wine of the vintage. Although it came in at 15.9% alcohol, it is not the least bit hot or out of balance. The wine boasts glorious levels of creme de cassis fruit and licorice that combine to form the background of a perfumed, aromatic wine with full-bodied richness, a voluptuous texture and both hedonistic and intellectual appeal that are sine qua non. This sensational Cabernet Sauvignon seems velvety, but every one of Woodbridge’s wines that I have tasted is velvety from infancy. Yet they age and age as the 2000, a far from ideal vintage, has proven time after time. There is always a Pomerol-like silky texture to these wines, despite the fact they are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2003 is a titanic wine that can be drunk now or in 20 years given the genius of Jayson Woodbridge.
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.