Winemaker Notes
Blend: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% each Cabernet Franc and Malbec
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep ruby-black in color, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Annum, blended with 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, opens with tertiary aromas of baked plum, nori, raisin, cedar, dried tobacco, licorice, pencil shavings, cocoa and old leather with dried red and black currants and cherries plus a dusty earth note—this is one of those magical wines that brings back fleeting images of childhood as the aromas, difficult to name, flesh out. Medium-bodied, it's silky and fully tertiary in the mouth, with lovely savory and mineral layers. The tannins are firm and lightly chalky, the acidity still juicy and the finish long and nuanced. This is drinking just lovely right now! 872 cases produced.
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.