Winemaker Notes
The 2016 Keenan Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon blend consists of 31% each of the Cabernet Sauvignon clones 337, 7 and 412 along with 7% Cabernet Franc. Deep aromatics, piercing and precise, a full rich saturated mouth feel, and a long lasting multi-layered finish define this exemplary blend. Enjoy now or decades from now.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Containing 7% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Spring Mountain offers up cassis, cedar, toast and earth on the nose with bay leaves, mint and chocolate nuances. Medium-bodied and elegant, it has firm, chewy tannins and is vibrant in the mouth, finishing with a minty lift.
-
Wine & Spirits
Michael Keenan replanted his Big K vineyard in 1998, and, as the vines have matured, they have consistently put out one of the top cabernet sauvignons in Napa Valley—just look at the string of high scores and effusive notes on our website for confirmation. The latest, the 2016, marks the 40th anniversary of Robert Keenan Winery with a vibrant, brisk mountain-grown cabernet, its tart wild-cherry flavors foresty to the core. If a wine could be said to have earthy intelligence, this one does, its tannins lending stamina and deep rooted gravitas to a cabernet that feels effortless, like it’s sleepwalking into beauty.
-
James Suckling
This is equal parts merlot and cabernet sauvignon and has a very attractive array of ripe dark plums, mulberries and blackberries with earth and chocolate notes. The palate is very long, plush and has a clever fusion of power with elegance. As is the way with all Keenan 2016s, the oak is dialed-up high and needs time to settle.
While the beauty and history of the land are appealing, it is the richness of the soils that makes the hillside perfect for an estate winery. These soils are, in great measure, responsible for the dramatic intensity of the fruit associated with the ultra-premium wines produced at Robert Keenan Winery.
Keenan completed a solar power system on their property that went on-line in 2007. The system supplies all of the estate’s energy needs, including the winery, administrative offices, visitor hospitality area, and the homes located on the property. The Napa Valley Vintners have recognized Keenan as a “green” winery, which they proudly announce on the back labels: Solar Powered and Sustainably Farmed.
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.
Above the town of St. Helena on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains sits the Spring Mountain District.
A dynamic region, its vineyards, cut by numerous springs and streams, vary in elevation, slope and aspect. Soils differ throughout with over 20 distinct types inside of the 8,600 acres that define the appellation. Within that area, only about 1,000 are planted to vineyards. Predominantly farmed by small, independent producers, the region currently has just over 30 wineries.
During the growing season, late afternoon Pacific Ocean breezes reach the Spring Mountain vineyards, which sit at between 400 and 1,200 feet. Daytime temperatures during mid summer and early fall remain slightly cooler than those of the valley floor.
Spring Mountain soils—volcanic matter and sedimentary rock—create intense but balanced reds with lush and delicate tannins. The area excels with Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot and in some cooler spots, Chardonnay.