Winemaker Notes
This 2019 Napa Valley Cabernet is a study in how talented winemakers can create a memorable “Cabernet” that can achieve beguiling nuance through the masterful touches of notable Bordeaux-style varietals. Alluringly ruby red in the glass, the perfume of black fruit and rose petal is unmistakable. Fresh, focused, and direct, the wine bristles with an underlying tension that is both disarming and intriguing. Cassis, sweet oak, and a hint of cherry cola coalesce against a pleasing backdrop of medium acidity and silky tannins, made possible by 18 months aging in 50% new French oak.
Blend: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petite Verdot, 6% Cab Franc, 3% Merlot
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.