Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Complex notes of forest floor, espresso roast, white chocolate, blackberries and black currants jump from the glass of this expressive, relatively mature Cabernet Sauvignon. A notion of wet rocks gives the wine minerality, and the vintage’s high glycerin and fatness provide a rich, corpulent, full-bodied texture. The wine’s impressive purity and ripe tannin are symptomatic of high-class winemaking as well as an excellent grape source. This beautifully made 2002 is reminiscent of a ripe Bordeaux blended with a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. It should continue to drink beautifully for another 10-15 years.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.