Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A 450-case blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon State Lane Vineyard has more in common with a first-growth Pauillac than many people might be willing to admit. Aged 20 months in primarily new French oak, its inky/blue/purple color is followed by an extraordinary bouquet of graphite, cedar wood, creme de cassis, spice box, and incense. The wine is full-bodied with great purity, richness, sweet tannin, concentration, texture, and length. Give it 2-3 years of bottle age, and drink it over the next three decades.
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.