Winemaker Notes
A complex, plush and full bodied, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon with ample layers of bright cassis, succulent black fruit, hints of mocha, tobacco, sweet vanilla whiskey, leather and warm toasted spices. Substantial, yet supple tannins round out this plush, well balanced wine with a remarkably long, complex finish. Stylish, classic collector's Napa Cabernet.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Mee Lane is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford. It is another juicy, grapy and richly fruity, fat and unctuously textured Cabernet Sauvignon that is evidence of the low yields and very ripe Cabernet fruit that was brought in from this low-yielding vintage. This should turn out to be stunning once it develops more delineation and personality. 92+
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James Suckling
A big and rich red with full body, soft and velvety tannins and a long and flavorful finish. Very generous and a little overdone this year. Drink now.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
The Rutherford sub-region of Napa Valley centers on the town of Rutherford and covers some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyard real estate, spanning from the Mayacamas in the west, to the Vaca Mountains on the other side of the valley.
Inside of the Rutherford AVA, bordering the Mayacamas, is a stretch of uplands called the Rutherford Bench. (These bench lands technically run the length of Oakville as well). Mountain runoff creates deep, well-drained, alluvial soils on the bench, giving vine roots plenty of reason to permeate deep into the ground. The result is wine with great structure and complexity.
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvingons and Bordeaux Blends garner substantial attention for their enticing fragrances of dusty earth and dried herbs, broad and juicy mid-palates and lush and fine-grained tannins. The sub-appellation claims some of the valley’s most prized vineyards today, namely Caymus, Rubicon and Beckstoffer Georges III.
It is also home to Napa’s most influential and historic personalities. Thomas Rutherford, responsible for the appellation's name, made serious investments here in grape growing and wine production between the years of 1850 to 1880. Gustave Niebaum purchased a large swath of land and completed his winery in 1887, calling it “Inglenook.” Today this remains the oldest bonded winery in California. Georges Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard in 1900, making it the oldest continuous winery in the state. Latour also hired the famous enologist, André Tchelistcheff, a man credited for single-handedly defining the modern Napa winemaking style.