Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Stretch Drive is also terrific and has a supple, sweetly fruited, sexy style. Ample blueberry and strawberry liqueur, fruitcake and spring flower notes all emerge from this full-bodied, massive fruit bomb that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. I suspect it will age, but I’d just drink it.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 20 months in 75% new French oak, the 2016 Stretch Drive Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple colored and gives up notes of blackberries, black cherries, cassis and mulberries with hints of chocolate box, tilled soil and vanilla pod. Full, juicy and bursting with blackcurrant flavor, it has a soft texture and long, refreshing finish.
One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wine. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.
Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District's tart cherry flavors.