Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
There are roughly 500 cases of the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, which spent 22 months in new barrels. Coming from the rockier soils on the east side of the vineyard, it offers a deep, layered, full-bodied style as well as lots of cassis and blue fruits, ripe, supple tannins, and notes of sagebrush, olives, iron, and an almost bloody character. This is pure Oakville magic and is drinking perfectly today. I’d enjoy bottles over the coming decade, but it will certainly evolve for longer.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Estate Oakville adds a lot of structure and even more density to the basic cuvée. It’s an inky ruby/purple, has notes of graphite and toasty vanilla, but is dominated by the black cherry and blackcurrant fruit spectrum. Full-bodied, powerful and formidable in extract and richness, this wine will benefit from 3-5 years of cellaring and keep 25-30 years. It’s a stunning example of the vintage from a great terroir.
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.