Winemaker Notes
The 2015 Brothers speaks of both the warm vintage and the place it comes from. It has the hallmark aromas of pencil lead, cedar and cloves, coupled with the unmistakable signs of sunshine – blackberries, blueberries and dark plums. On the palate, it is layered, long and brooding. Impressive in its power and concentration, this wine will last decades and is worth waiting for.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Brothers Vineyard is a dense, potent wine. Black fruit, chocolate, licorice and cloves saturate the palate. The Brothers shows the potent side of the year as expressed in this parcel, along with the more extracted style Diana Snowden favored at the time. Graphite, dried herbs, mocha and blackberry are layered into the long, sustained finish.
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James Suckling
A muscular, concentrated, powerful wine that's polished, too. Aromas of black cherries, black currants and dark chocolate lead to flavors of creme de cassis, cocoa, blueberries and graphite on a velvety texture of silky tannins. Really interesting and barely beginning to develop some bottle bouquet from age.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Snowden style has evolved away from that displayed by the dark, impenetrable 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Brothers Vineyard. After a decade, it still seems youthful, its bold, black cherry fruit marked by scents of crushed stone and sage. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, with masses of ripe tannins, it finishes long and a bit chewy, with a touch of warmth. It could still improve, but the balance of alcohol (16%) seems a bit tenuous. Rating: 93+
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.