Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Probably the best they have made to date, the 2007 Vintner’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits an exuberance, richness, and intensity that belie a production of 155,000 cases. Coming entirely from Jess Jackson’s vineyards, the final blend – 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot – is sourced primarily from Sonoma and Napa, with a small percentage from Mendocino. This wine is a beauty, with ripe berry fruit, as well as hints of cedarwood, tobacco leaf, licorice, and plenty of black currants and black cherries. This wine should drink nicely for 5-6 years, possibly even longer. 88-89
Covering the most vine acreage in the state compared to any other red wine variety, Cabernet Sauvignon produces as much wine in California as Merlot and Pinot Noir combined. The state’s diverse terrain and microclimates, as well as the freedom of its winemakers, allow for an incredible range of wine styles from this single grape.
California’s most famous region—and especially for Cabernet Sauvignon—is the acclaimed Napa Valley. While Cabernet is successful throughout the world, rarely has it achieved such merit as it does from the Napa Valley. At this point the two are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other.
Napa’s closest neighbor, Sonoma County, does an impressive job keeping up with Napa’s fame and glory. Alexander Valley, Sonoma Mountain, Moon Mountain and Knights Valley contribute to the lot of some of California’s top-rated Cabernet Sauvignon.
Lake County in California’s North Coast has become a focus for some of Napa’s more respected growers. From the Central Coast come iconic examples of classic California Cabernet; Lodi and the Sierra Foothills are great budget-friendly sources of amicable Cabernets.