Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Artefact is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon coming from Calistoga. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with pronounced notes of crème de cassis, plum preserves, wild blueberries and boysenberries with underlying suggestions of cedar chest, menthol, fallen leaves and dusty soil. The palate possesses bags of energy, offering a medium to full-body with layers of bright, bold black fruits and a firm, grainy texture, finishing long and mineral laced.
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James Suckling
A well-structured cabernet with aromas of blackberries, dried leaves, walnuts, toast and pine cones. Full-bodied yet fresh with fine-grained tannins. Savory, firm and mineral finish. Try after 2022.
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.