Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
Over the last several vintages, Turnbull has impressed with its very well-made and comparatively affordable Cabernets. It hits the very same marks once again in 2006, and wins applause for its deep fruit, fine focus and classic structure. Its ample oak is always subordinate to elements of cassis and ripe cherries, and its integral tannins provide solid varietal spice without being too tough or abrasive. It overall sense of proportion and balance are just what we look for in ageworthy wines, and what is good here will get only better over the next five to ten years.
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Wine Enthusiast
Grown on the estate in Oakville, this is a very tannic Cabernet. It's almost old-fashioned, a dark, full-bodied wine with earthy-herbal notes and a hard, astringent finish. There are complex flavors of blackberries, mocha, licorice, allspice, cloves, violets and cedar. Could do interesting things beyond 2011.
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.