Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a red with amazing structure and muscle yet it remains fresh and agile. Full body, chewy and polished tannins. Salty with chili and sweet tobacco. So savory. Marvelous, seamless texture. In synch. Why wait?
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
2013 was characterized by slightly more clusters, but they were smaller with very tiny berries. The vintage itself was another warm, drought year, but like 2012, there were no real spikes of heat. Growing conditions – other than the continued drought in California – were easy. These wines share the same characteristics with the 2012s and I’ll have a greater peg on them once they’re in bottle, but as you can tell, the production ranges from a very small 240 cases of the Georges III in Rutherford to 640 cases of the Las Piedras Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon LPV. Wines, at least from barrel, that have three-digit score potential include the Cabernet Sauvignon RBS from Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, the Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon T-6 and the Cabernet Sauvignon LPV from the Las Piedras Vineyard. Range: 98-100
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.