Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Combines power and finesse, offering a firm, dense, chewy core of mocha-scented blackberry, cassis, crushed rock, loamy earth, cedar, cigar box and exotic spice, ending with firm, smoky tannins and a midpalate sweetness that adds a measure of intrigue and nuance. Drink now through 2030.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Tierra Roja Vineyard comes from a 4-acre Oakville parcel situated below the Dalla Valle vineyards in the eastern Vaca foothills. It exhibits an opaque purple color along with a gorgeous nose of loamy soil minerality interwoven with blackberry and crème de cassis fruit. Full-bodied with terrific richness and opulence, this is a great example from the tenderloin sector of Napa Valley. It should drink well young, yet last for 20-25 years.
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James Suckling
Gorgeous aromas of dark fruit, plum and iron with hints of clay dust. Full body, round and silky tannins and a lively finish. Tight and racy. Wonderful length. Drink or hold.
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.