Winemaker Notes
Blend: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
7% Merlot; 5% Cabernet Franc; 2% Petit Verdot. Deep, well-defined curranty fruit is the driving force of this nicely extracted, young Cabernet, while complementary oak and deft touches of cocoa lend a boost in overall richness. If fairly full-bodied, the wine shows nary a hint of heaviness and sports a fine sense of balance from beginning to end. It is supple to start and finishes with appropriate tannins, but its astringency never gets in the way of its ongoing fruit, and time is a guaranteed remedy to its wholly acceptable toughness.
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.