Scattered Peaks Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
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Tasting
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Wilfred
Wong -
James
Suckling
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Scattered Peaks offers intense black and red fruit aromas bolstered by hints of mountain sage and a touch of anise. On the palate, dark brooding fruit flavors of black cherry and cassis mingle with the essence of black licorice and violets as well as espresso and dark chocolate notes. Firm and silky tannins and a touch of vanilla support the long, lingering finish of this classic Napa Valley Cabernet.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Deep berry color; brisk and juicy with articulated notes of plum and spice. Tangy, deep, and balanced with excellent length.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Whenever someone like Derek Benham teams up with a legendary winemaker (Joel Aiken), one just knows that something good is a-cookin'. The 2016 Scattered Peaks Cabernet Sauvignon displays the outstanding collaboration between these two Icons. TASTING NOTES: This is a complete Cabernet Sauvignon. Its refined aromas and flavors of fresh black fruit, sweet tannins, and hints of oak should pair it beautifully with a quickly-seared hanger steak. (Tasted: February 4, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
Cherry and plum character with some walnut-shell and cedar undertones. It’s medium-bodied with round tannins and a clean finish. Drink now.
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- Decanter
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Scattered Peaks is an elevated, artful spin on Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon carefully curated and elegantly crafted by wine industry icon, Derek Benham and legendary Napa Valley Winemaker, Joel Aiken.
Leveraging their deep passion for – and long history within – the California wine industry, Derek and Joel curate superior fruit from coveted regions throughout Napa Valley. Their plunder is then aged in carefully curated oak barrels and artfully blended to achieve the high levels of quality and experience.
Scattered Peaks is a creative marriage of Derek’s greatest loves: surfing, skiing and wine. A powerful triple-entendre, the term ‘Scattered Peaks’ refers to a surfing condition when waves approaching the shore split, creating different wave peaks. Secondly, the term signifies the many snowy peaks around the world that Benham has conquered with unmatched enthusiasm. Finally, ‘Scattered Peaks’ refers to the winery's vineyards dotted across the world-renowned Napa Valley.
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.