Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
This wine is showing minty Cabernet characters on the nose, with smoky blackberry notes and a hint of bacon from the oak, but it is not overdone. Tart cassis spears the sumptuous palate which is lifted by acidity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc and Merlot. This excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 22 months in 50% new French oak and 50% used oak, is a real sleeper selection from Merryvale with an attractive price as well. Dense ruby/purple with sweet crème de cassis notes intermixed with black cherry and toast in a medium to full-bodied, supple, velvety seductive style. This is a beauty and should drink well for at least 10-15 years. Don't miss it.
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James Suckling
Aromas of coffee and blackberry character. Full body, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Tannic and rich, yet this shows potential. Needs to soften. Better in 2018.
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.