Winemaker Notes
Blend: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Check this out if you enjoyed the classic vintages of Gruaud-Larose: This is funky and complex, withthe same kind of fat that a St-Julien would boast. Initially herbal and tight, this opens into a powerful complexity, the tannins almost lamby in flavor, the fruit a deep well of cassis. The 225 acres of vines at Spring Mountain Vineyard were originally planted in the 19th century by four separate owners, now providing a range of elevations and expositions for blending into this wine.
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Wine Enthusiast
Rich and vibrant in acids and tannins, this Cabernet feels like it was obviously grown in a good place. It flatters the palate with blackberry and black cherry flavors, with a currant ripeness accentuated by 80% new French oak. Forward and elaborate now, it doesn't seem like an ager despite the tannins, so drink now–2013.
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.