Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
While the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Passionnement doesn't match the magical 2016, it's nevertheless a gorgeous wine that will stand up to anything in the vintage and is a heavenly wine. Loads of blackcurrants, cassis, damp earth, chocolate, and green tobacco dominate the bouquet of this powerful, full-bodied, opulent wine, which offers more decadence and sweet fruit than almost every other 2017 out there. With beautiful depth of fruit, ripe, silky tannins, and a blockbuster of a finish, it needs a year or three of bottle age and will evolve for two decades or more. The Passionnement is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and is always a selection across the single vineyards.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, 85% of the fruit in this barrel selection wine comes from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon and Missouri Hopper vineyards, while 10% is from the Morlet Estate vineyard in St. Helena, and 5% comes from the Mon Chevalier vineyard in Knights Valley. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Passionnement gives up wonderfully fragrant notes of wilted roses, candied violets and black cherry compote with a core of crème de cassis, star anise, pencil shavings and unsmoked cigars plus a touch of bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, the palate offers impressive energy with a firm, grainy texture and plenty of freshness, finishing long with lots of earthy/mineral layers. Should age beautifully!
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.