Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A fresh and rich wine with cooked berry, milk chocolate and stone character. Full body, round tannins and a flavorful finish. Balanced in a riper style.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon C.C. Ranch is from the Rutherford sector over near the Silverado Trail. The color is opaque purple – slightly darker than the Hayne or the John C. Sullenger. Very concentrated, with almost a confit of black cherries, blackberries and dusty earthiness underlying the fruit, this profile is not surprising as this vineyard is grown in gravelly, loamy soils. With a full-bodied mouthfeel, super density and richness, I found it a very youthful, vibrant, backward and foreboding style. This should be very long-lived, but require 4-5 years of patience. I won’t be surprised to see it keep for two decades. 93+
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Wine Enthusiast
Gingerbread and graham cracker provide this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with a distinct warmth of character. Elegant, light and restrained, it opens with a prominent rose aroma. It then offers cherry and raspberry delicacy around subtle French oak and vanilla on the palate, all lingering long though the finish.
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.