Winemaker Notes
A complex nose of boysenberry, raspberry, and cassis; with hints of cedar and vanilla. The mouth is layered with bright flavors of black cherry, red currants, and berry jam. Ripe tannins focus the palate and provide a lengthy finish of spice and red fruit.
Blend: 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Perfumed aromas of wild blackberries, violets and and tobacco leaves. The palate is full-bodied with firm tannins and acidity, giving notes of blackcurrants, cedar and dried herbs. Needs time for the tannins to soften. Drinkable now, but best from 2028.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Truchard's 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is the best I can recall from this reliable Carneros producer. Black cherries and cassis are joined by hints of vanilla and violets on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is streamlined and smooth—a linear style with ample concentration and length, focused and fresh, with some slightly herbal notes on the finish.
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.
Known for elegant wines that combine power and finesse, Carneros is set in the rolling hills that straddle the southernmost parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The cooling winds from the abutting San Pablo Bay, combined with lots of midday California sunshine, create an ideal environment for producing wines with a perfect balance of crisp acidity and well-ripened fruit.
This cooler pocket of California lends itself to growing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Carneros is an important source of sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne as well.