Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon gives up exuberant notions of blackcurrant pastilles, blackberry compote and stewed red plums with touches of kirsch, potpourri, fragrant earth and cigar box. Full-bodied and opulently fruited in the mouth, the powerful flavors are well framed by firm, ripe tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy.
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Wine Spectator
Solid, featuring a direct beam of cassis and raspberry reduction flavors, flanked by anise, apple wood and bramble notes. A loamy echo chimes through the rich, polished finish. Best from 2020 through 2030.
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.