Winemaker Notes
The beautifully sculpted 2019 Staglin Cabernet plays out like a well written thriller, full of brilliant dialogue between its dramatic dark fruit, fine tannins, alluring resins and focused acidity. After building masterfully to a pinnacle of sun-ripened fig, lively boysenberry, and hints of cedar, these flavors recede to reveal traces of lavender imbued Dutch cocoa and rosebud tea swirling gracefully around a resolute, savory core. The wine sustains its textural finish through an ever-evolving cast of subtle, earth driven notes until softly releasing from the palate. Lovely and refined at this early glimpse, all indications promise an age-worthy representation of the
phenomenal vintage. Sure to become a classic.
Blend: 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a rich, heady wine that is going to need a number of years to shed its baby fat and come into its own. Dark and vertical in feel, the 2019 possesses tremendous energy as well as power. Black cherry, chocolate, new leather, licorice, espresso and cloves build into the huge, resonant finish. The 2019 spent 22 months in barrel, 80% new. I would not dream of touching a bottle anytime soon. Best After 2027 Rating : 96+
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Wine Spectator
A broad, loamy and frankly toasted style, with a steady rolling wave of warmed cassis and plum sauce supported by freshly plowed earth, sweet tobacco and licorice root. A little toothy through the finish, with a plum skin note hinting at overextraction, but the fruit wins out and fans of the muscular style will be pleased with this. Drink now through 2038. 2,300 cases made.
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.
The Rutherford sub-region of Napa Valley centers on the town of Rutherford and covers some of Napa Valley’s finest vineyard real estate, spanning from the Mayacamas in the west, to the Vaca Mountains on the other side of the valley.
Inside of the Rutherford AVA, bordering the Mayacamas, is a stretch of uplands called the Rutherford Bench. (These bench lands technically run the length of Oakville as well). Mountain runoff creates deep, well-drained, alluvial soils on the bench, giving vine roots plenty of reason to permeate deep into the ground. The result is wine with great structure and complexity.
Rutherford Cabernet Sauvingons and Bordeaux Blends garner substantial attention for their enticing fragrances of dusty earth and dried herbs, broad and juicy mid-palates and lush and fine-grained tannins. The sub-appellation claims some of the valley’s most prized vineyards today, namely Caymus, Rubicon and Beckstoffer Georges III.
It is also home to Napa’s most influential and historic personalities. Thomas Rutherford, responsible for the appellation's name, made serious investments here in grape growing and wine production between the years of 1850 to 1880. Gustave Niebaum purchased a large swath of land and completed his winery in 1887, calling it “Inglenook.” Today this remains the oldest bonded winery in California. Georges Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard in 1900, making it the oldest continuous winery in the state. Latour also hired the famous enologist, André Tchelistcheff, a man credited for single-handedly defining the modern Napa winemaking style.