Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The deep garnet-purple colored 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard (all 337 clone, aged 33 months in oak) opens with earthy notes of mossy bark, tilled black soil and black truffles over a core of cassis, blueberries and warm plums with touches of menthol and lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is laden with blue and black fruits, supported with a firm, grainy backbone and a lively line, finishing with great length and depth. 220 cases made.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Panek Vineyard is straight up classic Napa Valley all the way. Coming from a site north of Saint Helena and vines planted in 2005 (originally planted to Zinfandel) and seeing an extended élevage of 33 months in barrel, its saturated purple color is followed by terrific crème de cassis, blueberry, graphite/lead pencil, chocolate, and ample spice. More unevolved and backward than the other 2014s from winemaker Jeff Ames, it needs 3-4 years of bottle age but will have 2-3 decades of longevity. 93+ points
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James Suckling
Tight and very layered with a powerful and intense center palate. Full body and chewy tannins. Juicy with lots of flavor. Needs three to four years to soften.
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.
St. Helena is in the heart of the Napa Valley, nestled between Calistoga to the north and Rutherford on its southern border. On its western side, the Mayacamas Mountains guard it from the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean; to its east stand the Vaca Mountains. In conjunction, these mountain ranges serve to lock in summer daytime heat. But in the evening, cool air from the San Pablo Bay funnels up through the valley, creating very chilly nights. It isn’t uncommon for temperatures to drop 50 degrees, a shift that promotes a balance of sugar ripeness and acidity in wine grapes.
St. Helena contains a plethora of different soil types in a small area, which have been enhanced over centuries by rain runoff from both mountain ranges. Its vineyards cover a variety of terrain, spreading across the bucolic valley floor and its benchlands.
These ideal topographic and climatic growing conditions easily caught the attention of early winemaking pioneers. In fact, St. Helena is the birthplace of Napa Valley’s commercial wine industry. Dr. Crane founded his cellar in 1859, David Fulton in 1860 and Charles Krug in 1861.
Today there are no less than 400 separate vineyards planted within the 12,000 acres that make up the St. Helena appellation.
Revered most for its red wines based on Bordeaux varieties, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, the St. Helena appellation is also a source of superior Syrah, Zinfandel and Sauvignon blanc.