Winemaker Notes
This wine was created entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon from the Collinetta Vineyard, which was destemmed as gently as possible and allowed to ferment with the vineyard's own indigenous yeasts. It was then gently pressed off, and transferred into barrels. The wine was aged for 20 months in tight-grain French oak barriques, approximately 75% new, before being bottled in July of 2014.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very fresh and beautiful with transparent dark fruit, stones, fresh herbs and coffee. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long finish. Made for aging. Drink or hold.
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Wine Enthusiast
A foundation of thick tannin and oak give size and weight to this full-bodied wine that offers waves of smoky leather, cedar, tar and black cherry on the nose and palate. More savory than fruity, it is a compelling expression of this relatively cooler appellation in the Napa Valley. Drink now through 2020.
Cellar Selection. -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Collinetta Vineyard from the cool, high-elevation Coombsville site is very dark ruby/purple. With broad, rich, very flavorful cassis, chocolate and mocha notes, background structure and tannin, this is the densest and richest of the first four wines. Full-bodied as well, it’s marriage of fruit balances out the wine’s relatively robust tannic structure. Drink it over the next 10-12 years.
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.
Situated in the southeastern corner of Napa Valley in the Vaca range, the vineyards of the Coombsville AVA enjoy a long growing season mitigated by cool, San Pablo Bay fog.