Winemaker Notes
Black figs, Bing cherries, and cedar waft out of the glass, beguiling the nose. Dollops of fresh raspberries, spiced plums, blackberries, and dried star anise pirouette along the palate with vigor and poise, guiding each sip through the dynamic and endless finish. Even in its youth, this wine embodies elegance and opulence effortlessly.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This densely packed wine is layered in gorgeous fruits from raspberries and dark plums to sweet cherries, all wrapped in velvety tannins for a smooth and creamy texture. The subtle oak spices are flooded by the potent fruitiness that lingers long on the finish.
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Tasting Panel
This wine is the result of the winemaker's selection of barrels from the red volcanic soils of Oakville's Leopoldina and Fortuna vineyards. The entry is tremendous, with aromas of black cherry and dried fruits. Blackberry and black tea are unveiled on the generous palate as chalky tannins add grip before giving way to a soothing, suede like texture.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2020 Turnbull Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is powerful, tannic, and slightly elevated on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine exhibits aromas and flavors of ripe berries and oaky notes. Enjoy its richness with a grilled, well-marbled ribeye. (Tasted: June 15, 2023, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
A floral lift to the baked blackberries, with lots of iodine and dried-lychee notes. Rich and full-bodied on the palate, with very silky and seductive tannins that drive the palate to a juicy finish. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The estate-grown 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Reserve is a substantial step up from the regular Cab, both in price and quality. Black cherries and cassis are framed by subtle oak shadings, while an earthy undercurrent provides a substantial bass note. Medium to full-bodied, this shows elegance and depth, silky tannins and a lasting finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Reserve reveals more lifted, slightly volatile aromatics of plums, candied violets, and leafy herbs. Uber-ripe and concentrated, with quality tannins, it’s a solid, enjoyable Oakville effort to drink over the coming decade.
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.
Home to some of the most sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon in America, Napa Valley’s Oakville district stretches across the center of Napa's valley floor and foothills between the Vaca and Mayacamas Mountains. This AVA is home to the legendary To Kalon Vineyard and Martha's Vineyard, as well as many powerhouse wineries including Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak, Robert Mondavi, Opus One, Far Niente and Groth.
The climate is generally warm and agreeable, resulting in year after year of favorable vintages. Summer days see a gentle tug of war between warmer inland air and the cool air coming in from the San Pablo Bay, creating an ideal environment to grow red varieties. Oakville's diverse soils, namely ancient sea bedrock, clay and gravel, are well-drained, and perfect for high-caliber viticulture.
Cabernet here is often bottled varietally but is also popular in Bordeaux Blends. Oakville wines are known for their silky, sensual textures, structured tannins, dark and brooding fruit and lovely aromatics. These age-worthy and prestigious wines are favored by collectors throughout the world.