Winemaker Notes
Dark garnet in color with a bouquet full of blueberry, blackberry and black cherry notes and a hint of smoke. Medium-bodied on the palate with juicy black currant and black cherry flavors, it finishes with rounded, creamy tannins and a hint of mocha.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Juicy, bramble red raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, dried florals and espresso martini waft on the nose. Ripe blackberry, mulberry compote and vanilla extract flavors interlace with chocolate shavings, candied orange and a silky finish.
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Wine Spectator
Plump and forward, with a ball of black cherry compote wrapped lightly in licorice and backed by a whiff of mocha. Good juicy energy pulls this along.
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.