Winemaker Notes
Blackberry, currant and plum lead to seductive flavors of cedar box and summer savory. The tannins are mouthfilling and luxurious in the way that only mountain fruit can achieve. The balance is precise, offering enough tension to intrigue the senses and welcoming you to another sip. The acid that so elegantly frames the richness of this wine will allow it to age gracefully and completely. Drink early and often but be sure to lay down enough to appreciate its progression for the next 10 – 25 years.
Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 1.5% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the best wines in this range. It shows a bit more opulence than the Vintner Select Cabernet, but that is understandable given a large production meant to please a wide range of consumers. Soft and succulent, with terrific depth, the 2021 offers tons of immediacy in its inky dark fruit, leather and spice flavors.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Pretty cassis, red currants, tobacco, and damp earth notes define the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, a classic, medium-bodied, elegant Cabernet Sauvignon from this team. It has fine tannins, a good sense of acidity, and outstanding length.
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.
Reaching up California's coastline and into its valleys north of San Francisco, the North Coast AVA includes six counties: Marin, Solano, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake. While Napa and Sonoma enjoy most of the glory, the rest produce no shortage of quality wines in an intriguing and diverse range of styles.
Climbing up the state's rugged coastline, the chilly Marin County, just above the City and most of Sonoma County, as well as Mendocino County on the far north end of the North Coast successfully grow cool-climate varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and in some spots, Riesling. Inland Lake County, on the other hand, is considerably warmer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc produce some impressive wines with affordable price tags.