Winemaker Notes
The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville Ranch Vineyard is a beautiful wine with lifted aromatics of red cherry, red currant, cocoa powder, rose, wild thyme, and white tobacco. The palate is vibrant and fresh, with red fruit notes, aromatic herbs, cacao, pot pourri, and cigar wrapper underpinned by even, fine tannins and wonderful length. This wine shows a gradual opening in the glass and promises generous evolution with time.
Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of blackcurrants, ferric earth, graphite, black olives and cured meat. The palate is full-bodied with firmly framed tannins and balanced acidity, giving flavors of dried herbs, black cherries, licorice and mocha. A robust yet refined cabernet.
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Decanter
Crunchy, red fruit and bright, brown spices mingle with elegant, cedarwood notes. Full-bodied with plump, gently sweet tannins, this wine is remarkably easygoing in the vintage, showcasing lovely ripe fruit and savoury spice that carry through to a long, satisfying finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Lots of sweet cassis, blackberries, crushed stone, and graphite emerge from the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch, one of the more concentrated, structured wines in the vintage. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as medium to full-bodied richness on the palate, it has ripe, building tannins and rock-solid mid-palate depth. Give bottles just 2-3 years and enjoy over the following 10-15. The blend is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, aged 21 months in 75% new oak.
Rating: 94+ -
Vinous
The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch Vineyard is a racy, sumptuous wine. The ripeness of the year is very much in evidence. Kirsch, blood orange, exotic spices, leather and cedar are front and center. Floral overtones and potent yet well-integrated tannins mark the finish.
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Wine Spectator
This relies on a friendly and expressive burst of raspberry and mulberry puree carried by a modest but polished struc- ture and backed by iris and ink notes through the mod- estly juicy finish.
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.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.