Winemaker Notes
Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Merlot.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very fruity style, yet this is not overdone as it also offers form and tension. Blackberry and currant character. Medium body and a fresh finish. Turns soft and fruity. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexis offers abundant aromas of crème de cassis, licorice and spice, medium to full body, round tannins, decent acidity and good balance as well as depth. Approachable, it should continue to evolve nicely for a dozen years or more. This is the best set of bottled wines I have seen from Swanson in a number of years.
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.