Winemaker Notes
Top notes of spring-fresh Wisteria intertwine with vermillion spice, vanilla, and strokes of graphite on a canvas of ripe blueberry and cassis. Lush blackberry and layered caramel are braced by a youthful tannic structure epitomizing the “iron fist in a velvet glove.” As tannins ebb, notes of cocoa and clove tease rich Luxardo cherry flavors through a long, precise finish. The 2021 Odette Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon delivers immediate pleasure upon release and hints at the reward for the collectors who are patient enough to cellar it over the next 20+ years.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
All Cabernet Sauvignon from a mix of different soils (which is the idea with this release), the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve sports a dense purple hue to go with full-bodied, ripe, plush aromas and flavors of blueberries, jammy black raspberries, ground coffee, and more high-toned candied violet and orange blossom nuances. This powerful, concentrated 2021 has plenty of tannins and enough background oak to warrant 4-5 years of bottle age. It should see its 20th birthday in fine form!
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Selected from what winemaker Andrew Haugen calls, "our favorite nooks and crannies," Odette's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a clear step up from the overall Estate bottling. Ripe black cherries join red cherries, mocha and the barest herbal note on the nose, while the full-bodied palate features a rich, suede-like texture, concentrated fruit and a structure that's firm yet pliable, with a long, mouthwatering finish.
Rating: 96+ -
Vinous
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is laced with super-ripe dark red/purplish fruit, wild flowers, cedar, tobacco, blood orange and sweet oak. Dollops of Merlot and Malbec lend complexity. As is often the case, the two Odette Cabernets are not that different, but the Reserve shows a bit more freshness and verve than the Estate bottling.
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Wine Spectator
A bold, assertive style, with melted licorice and sweet toast notes draped over a core of crushed plum and boysenberry pâte de fruit. Offers a high-gloss, toasty finish. For the hedonist crowd. Drink now through 2038.
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.
Legend has it that quick and nimble stags would escape the indigenous hunters of southern Napa Valley through the landmark palisades that sit just northeast of the current city of Napa. As a result, the area was given the name, Stags Leap. While its grape-growing history dates back to the mid-1800s, winemaking didn’t really take off until the mid-1970s after a small but pivotal blind tasting called the Judgement of Paris.
When a 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon won first place against its high-profile Bordeaux contenders, like Chateau Mouton Rothschild and Chateau Haut-Brion, international attention to the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley escalated rapidly.
The vineyards in this one-of-a-kind wine growing region receive hot afternoon air reflecting off of its eastern palisade formation. In combination with the cool evening breezes from the San Pablo Bay just south, this becomes an optimal environment for grape growing. While many varieties could thrive here, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot dominate with virtually no others, save for a spot or two of Syrah.
Stags Leap soils—eroded volcanic and old river sediments—encourage well established root systems and result in complex, terroir-driven wines. Stags Leap District reds have a distinct sour cherry and black berry character with baking spice and dried earth aromas, and supple tannins.