Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
I loved the bouquet of the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, which has awesome purity in its classic Cabernet notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, and earthy, gravelly mineral-like aromas and flavors. Beautifully balanced, utterly seamless, and lengthy, it's a rock star of a base cuvée that readers should snatch up. It's going to drink beautifully for two decades or more. This cuvée is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and 5% Malbec
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec, the deep purple-black colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate reveals lovely, open-knit, youthful cassis, crushed black plums and black cherries scents with hints of rose hip tea, chocolate box, lavender, tobacco leaf and redcurrant jelly. The full-bodied, vibrantly fruited palate beautifully offsets the rich black fruits with red fruit and herbal sparks plus tons of freshness, finishing with a wonderfully plush texture blanketing the fruit right through the long finish.
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.