Winemaker Notes
Expressive on the nose with notes of baking spices, cedar, fig, and black cherry. Notes of brooding red fruit flood the palate—the wine is soft yet structu.red on the palate, with plush tannins, moderate acidity, and a long finish that lingers with notes of black tea and bramble
Blend: 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The nose is robust and deeply scented, with aromas of mulberries, blackcurrants, pine needles and spices. The palate is full-bodied with firmly integrated tannins and bright acidity, giving notes of mocha, dark cherries, tapenade and dried herbs. Quite pure and focused.
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Wine Spectator
Shows character, with flashes of bay leaf and chestnut giving this a hint of brawn, even, while a tarry spine adds structure. Black currant and black cherry pâte de fruit notes are rich and fleshy as they drive long. The finish offers a touch of torrefied alder that winks at the vintage’s extreme nature, but overall this is solid.
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.