Winemaker Notes
Blend: 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
This stellar, powerhouse wine is perfumed in aromas of pencil, leather and sage that season a core of mineral and crushed rock. The fruit is equally savory in currant and plum, with a dusting of dark chocolate. Enjoy now–2029.
Editors' Choice -
Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the barrel samples, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a pretty, elegant wine that lacks the richness of the 2015 yet has perfumed notes of red and black currants, spring flowers, and spice. A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot that was harvested early in September, it’s going to need short-term cellaring.
Barrel Sample: 92-95 -
James Suckling
Dense and fruity with lovely, layered tannins and lots of blueberries, blackberries and hints of dried flowers. Full body, dusty, gritty tannins and a flavorful finish. Chewy, yet will come around with two or three years of bottle age.
-
Wine Spectator
A flicker of savory leads off, giving the raspberry, red currant and cherry compote flavors lift and direction. Ends with a bramble hint as the fruit plays out nicely. Shows range, with freshness taking the lead and some depth in reserve. Drink now through 2030.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (White Label) has a deep garnet-purple color and wonderfully pure scents of crushed black currants, black cherries and blackberries with suggestions of menthol, tobacco leaf, wild sage and pencil lead. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers a great core of vibrant black fruits plus plenty of herbal sparks, structured by an approachable grainy backbone and well-knit freshness, finishing long.
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.