Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Intense cassis and steeped cherry flavors form the core, while singed tobacco, warm loam and savory notes swirl around. In a youthful state now, wrestling with itself as warm gravel, roasted juniper and dark olive elements vie for attention. Cellaring will let this unwind fully. Leans toward the old-school side of the stylistic spectrum. Best from 2022 through 2038.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep garnet-purple color. Only bottled a couple of months ago, it starts out a little broody and subdued, with coaxing earthy nuances emerge of truffles, tilled soil, underbrush and charcoal over a core of baked blackberries, plum preserves, crème de cassis and tapenade with touches of cardamom and Indian spices. Full-bodied, the palate delivers a compellingly chewy, hedonic experience of black fruit preserves and background freshness, finishing long with tons of earthy sparks. Rating: 95+
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.