Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Ranch is terrific and has a huge, full-bodied, yet impeccably balanced profile to with lots of blueberry, plum, forest floor, and floral aromatics. With no hard edges, ripe, sweet tannin, and a big finish, it’s packed with potential.
Barrel Sample: 95-97 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A barrel sample blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Oakville Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is redolent of pure cassis, black plums and black cherries with wafts of earth, chocolate box, dried herbs and rare beef. Firm and taut with ripe, grainy tannins and a lively acid line providing a solid foundation for the vibrant, expressive black fruit and savory layers, it finishes on a compelling mineral note.
Barrel Sample: 94-96
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.