Winemaker Notes
The seamlessly polished yet powerful 2019 Aida Estate Cabernet is a deep, inky reminder of the concentration that the Aida vineyard is famous for. Its blue and black fruits, crushed rocks and scorched earth aromas coat every inch of the glass before sliding into a palate of creamy milk chocolate, hints of anise and espresso beans. Red fruit and graphite further burst on the palate of this intensely concentrated wine. Massive, yet perfectly balanced and velvety in texture this wines come together beautifully and finishes long, drawn out and full throughout. With patience, will cellar for 30+ years.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Another magical wine in the lineup, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Aida Estate is just about all Cabernet with 2% Cabernet Franc, raised 20 months in 80% new barrels. Pure crème de cassis, truffly earth, lead pencil, new leather, and herbes de Provence-like notes define this rich, concentrated, full-bodied, yet utterly seamless 2019. It shows the layered, ripe, opulent style of the vintage and is going to cruise for 20-25 years in cold cellar. 520 cases.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
While I adored the Turley Petite Syrahs (yes, that's how they were labeled) sourced from this vineyard, it's hard to argue with the Cabernet Sauvignon that replaced those old vines. Vaguely smoky, with layers of dark fruit—black cherries, plums, cassis and blueberries—framed by lavish vanilla and cedar notes, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Aida Estate is full-bodied and expansive in the mouth, richly textured and tannic, with a long, velvety finish. It should begin drinking well in a few years and continue to do so for up to two decades.
Rating: 95+
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.
St. Helena is in the heart of the Napa Valley, nestled between Calistoga to the north and Rutherford on its southern border. On its western side, the Mayacamas Mountains guard it from the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean; to its east stand the Vaca Mountains. In conjunction, these mountain ranges serve to lock in summer daytime heat. But in the evening, cool air from the San Pablo Bay funnels up through the valley, creating very chilly nights. It isn’t uncommon for temperatures to drop 50 degrees, a shift that promotes a balance of sugar ripeness and acidity in wine grapes.
St. Helena contains a plethora of different soil types in a small area, which have been enhanced over centuries by rain runoff from both mountain ranges. Its vineyards cover a variety of terrain, spreading across the bucolic valley floor and its benchlands.
These ideal topographic and climatic growing conditions easily caught the attention of early winemaking pioneers. In fact, St. Helena is the birthplace of Napa Valley’s commercial wine industry. Dr. Crane founded his cellar in 1859, David Fulton in 1860 and Charles Krug in 1861.
Today there are no less than 400 separate vineyards planted within the 12,000 acres that make up the St. Helena appellation.
Revered most for its red wines based on Bordeaux varieties, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, the St. Helena appellation is also a source of superior Syrah, Zinfandel and Sauvignon blanc.