Winemaker Notes
Blend: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Winemaker Camille Benitah and consulting winemaker Paul Hobbs have done a fabulous job with the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich, deep and sumptuous, the 2010 is incredibly inviting. Sweet dark cherries, mocha, flowers and espresso meld together as the 2010 opens up in the glass. A soft, plush finish rounds things out in style. The Merus Cabernet Sauvignon is overt, juicy and beautifully balanced from start to finish. One of the virtues of the 2010 is that it should drink fabulously pretty much upon release. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2030.
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Wine Spectator
Focused on a trim, firm, rich mix of dark berry, black licorice, dusty, loamy earth and fresh-cut herbs, this finishes with a tapered aftertaste and cedary tannins. Best from 2014 through 2024.
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.