Winemaker Notes
Blend: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon 5% Cabernet Franc 3% Malbec 3% Petit Verdot 1% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of flower, tile and currant follow through to a full body that's nevertheless tight and reserved. Such beauty at the finish. A pretty wine. Hard not to drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Malbec, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Some spicy oak, crème de cassis and background barrique smells a re present in this youthful, classic Cabernet Sauvignon made by the long-time winemaker at Mondavi, Geneviève Janssens. This wine is still relatively tightly knit, especially for a 2014, and requires a bit of coaxing, but the black and red currant fruit, the classic Pauillac-like cedar wood, and spice box are all present in this is medium to full-bodied wine. It should be given 3-4 years of bottle age then drunk over following 20-25 years.
Rating: 91+ -
Wine Enthusiast
This wine has a juicy core of cranberry, currant and red cherry that's both powerful and graceful, exuding full-bodied richness within a context of supportive oak and tannin. The finish is dusted in coffee and nutmeg.
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.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.