Winemaker Notes
The long growing season in 2018 allowed these grapes to fully develop rich, dark flavors, while the mild temperatures preserved deeply hued color, great structure, and concentration. The nose begins with blackberry, boysenberry, and cassis layered with mocha and dark chocolate. Then some spice and herb come forward – cinnamon, nutmeg, graham cracker, and fresh sage and mint – adding layers, complexity, and depth to the nose. These flavors come through on the palate as well along with silky smooth, finely integrated tannin, beautiful acidity and freshness, and a long finish.
*This vintage was finished at the winery with either a cork or screwcap. Requests for specific closures cannot be accommodated.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is a blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose needs a little coaxing before revealing a gorgeous melange of baked black cherries, boysenberries and warm cassis plus hints of mocha, black olives, smoked meats and lilacs with a waft of pencil shavings. The concentrated, hedonic black fruit layers expand in the full-bodied mouth, revealing beautiful floral and savory layers with a firm frame of firm, exquisitely ripe tannins and seamless freshness, finishing with epic length.
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Jeb Dunnuck
More pure crème de cassis, toasted spices, camphor, graphite, and a touch of acacia flowers emerge from the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, which is a much smaller production cuvée from the estate's vineyard in Oakville. Full-bodied, brilliantly textured, and flawlessly balanced, it has ripe tannins, integrated acidity, and the vintage's more pure, elegant, seamless character front and center. It will probably merit a triple-digit rating in 5-6 years and keep for three decades in cold cellars. This is pure class.
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Wine Spectator
Delivers warm plum, blackberry and fig compote notes, which form the bulk of this wine, with alluring sweet bay leaf, tobacco and menthol hints throughout. Features a brushstroke of roasted alder on the finish, giving it a grounded feel despite the very heady fruit. Best from 2023 through 2037.
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.