Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Morlet Estate comes from the Morlets’ estate vineyard (6 acres located just around the estate) and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. It's another backward, youthful wine that needs bottle age yet offers stunning purity in its cassis and blackberry fruits as well as notes of rocky minerality, spice box, white flowers, graphite, and lead pencil. As with many of Luc's 2017s, there's a Bordeaux vibe in its aromas and tannin profile, and this full-bodied Cabernet has nicely integrated acidity, flawless balance, and enough structure to warrant a solid 4-5 years or more of bottle age. It should be one of the longer-lived wines in the lineup. This beauty isn't far off the 2016!
Rating:96+ -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the “home” estate, very close to Colgin Tychson Hill vineyard, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Morlet Estate sports a very deep garnet-purple colored. It strolls nonchalantly out of the glass with carefree, effortless scents of warm cassis, preserved plums, boysenberries and blackberry tart with touches of cigar box, chargrill, lavender and iron ore plus a waft of dried Provence herbs. Medium-bodied, very refined, refreshing and elegant, it has wonderfully ripe, plush tannins and seamless acidity, finishing long and mineral laced. Loads of aging potential here!
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.