Winemaker Notes
Bring out the flavors in the wine with the addition of thyme or black pepper over a prime cut of beef, pork or duck. Try also pairing with braised short ribs or grilled beef tenderloin with a mushroom sauce.
Blend: 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
A firm and silky wine with plum and light fresh herb character. Medium body and juicy fruit. A classy and traditional Napa cab. Delicious now or hold for later.
-
Wine Enthusiast
This is an elegant, refined and lighthearted red that shines with a wooded tannin structure and accents of pencil and clove. Rounded and smooth on the palate, it's bright and succulent in blackberry and black currant flavors, with well-integrated oak.
-
Wine & Spirits
Bold and juicy, this has a silken richness that makes it a standard-bearer for Napa Valley cabernet. It’s not particularly detailed, but it’s clean and will bring a lot of pleasure to braised short ribs.
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.