Winemaker Notes
The 2014 vintage of Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon reflects a very pure composition that contains only small amounts of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and just a touch of Merlot. From this outstanding year emerges a smooth, generous palate with very fine dusty tannin's and exemplary balance. As weighty and voluptuous as its predecessor, the flavors and fragrance of this vintage lean more heavily toward black fruits and seasoned wood. Cassis, blackberries, plums, and black currants provide juicy, mouthfilling flavors while distinct notes of cigar box, oak, graphite, and earthy spices create aromatic accents that are bound to evolve and become even more intense with bottle age. Yet, impressive density and texture already create ample allure.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Soft and round, with an undeniable Old World-like balance, this wine shows dark chocolate, tobacco and tar notes. Its power derives from its complex texture, imbued with a smoky oak essence and clove and graphite accents.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon is the entry level effort and it offers delicious notes of currants, leafy herbs, cedary spice and forest floor. Ripe, opulent, medium to full-bodied and frontend-loaded, drink it over the coming 10-15 years. This cuvee is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot.
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James Suckling
A beautiful cabernet sauvignon here with blackcurrants, blueberries, dark chocolate and nutmeg. Full body, velvety tannins and a savory and fruity finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, is a beauty of classicism and balance. Dense purple in color, with notes of crème de cassis, blackberry, cedar wood and forest floor, the wine is full-bodied, beautifully concentrated and pure, with moderate tannins and the potential for 20-25 years of upside.
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.