Perliss The Ravens 2012
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Robert
Parker
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon The Ravens, from a three-acre vineyard north of Calistoga, offers up plenty of spicy St.-Estephe-like earthiness and loamy soil notes, deep, rich, concentrated blackcurrant fruit with roasted herbs and underbrush. It combines both elegance and power in a relatively big, ripe style. As one might expect from three acres, only about 350 cases were produced. Drink now-2028.
Other Vintages
2013-
Robert
Parker
To grow sound vines, Aaron works closely with Piña Vineyard Management, another family-run operation, whose team of quality specialists oversees The Ravens Vineyard. They created it together with Aaron, establishing one of the first vineyards he developed from its inception. Piña Vineyard Management farms the vineyard organically, tending the vines by hand throughout the seasons and during harvest. Their practical expertise and design sense are apparent in all of their vineyard development and maintenance projects.
The Perliss Family has lived on the property for over 25 years and is involved in all aspects of this venture.
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.
One of Napa Valley’s oldest wine growing subregions but last to gain appellation status, Calistoga occupies the northernmost section of the valley. Beginning at the foot of Mount St. Helena, its vineyards stretch over steep canyons and roll out onto the valley floor. The soils in Calistoga are volcanic, which means they are heavy in minerals, low in organic matter and allow good drainage for vine roots, creating less green growth and more concentration of flavor within the grape berries.
Summer days are very hot but most nights cool down with moist ocean breezes sneaking in over the Mayacamas Mountains or from Knights Valley to its northwest.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the area’s star variety with Zinfandel coming in a strong second, though the latter commands far less price per tonnage so continues to be outshined by Cabernet in vineyard acreage, save for some important exceptions.