Winemaker Notes
The Tierra Roja Cabernet Sauvignon shows its typical black fruit dominated self with just a hint of bay leaf and evergreen. It has one of the most mouth filling attacks that you will ever try. Despite the size of this wine it still comes off as light on its feet from the acidity that this site retains. There is no other way to describe it than to say this is an absolute joy to drink.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Tierra Roja Vineyard (a 4-acre Oakville parcel situated directly below the Dalla Valle vineyards) is a backward, full-bodied, tannic wine boasting an inky/purple color as well as a big, sweet nose of loamy soil, wet rocks, red and black currants, blueberries and incense. Ripe, full-bodied and built for the long haul, this wine should be forgotten for 3-4 years and drunk over the following 20+ years.
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Wine Spectator
Deftly balanced, showing rich, extracted currant and dark berry flavors, with floral and spicy scents and a pretty overlay of toasty mocha-laced oak stretching into espresso.
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.