Winemaker Notes
The wine opens with an expressive bouquet of dark cherry, crème de cassis, dark roast coffee, graphite, and seductive savory undertones, offering remarkable depth and complexity. On the palate, it is seamless from entry to finish, displaying fine-grained, well-integrated tannins from barrel fermentation. Balanced and sophisticated without being overbearing, it shows beautifully now and promises exceptional aging potential over the coming decades, standing as the estate’s finest wine to date.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is a classic Vineyard 7 & 8 wine. Silky and plush, with notable richness, the 2021 is racy to the core. Dark red-toned fruit, cinnamon, mocha and espresso meld together effortlessly in a seamless, plush Cabernet. The style is one of opulence and textural intensity.
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Wine Spectator
This is ripe and fleshy in feel, with a core of dark, succulent plum and blackberry paste flavors inlaid with licorice root, black tea and roasted apple wood notes. The ganache- and walnut huskcoated finish is a touch ambitious, but there's enough fruit and energy here. For fans of the style. Best from 2025 through 2038. 575 cases made.
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.
Above the town of St. Helena on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains sits the Spring Mountain District.
A dynamic region, its vineyards, cut by numerous springs and streams, vary in elevation, slope and aspect. Soils differ throughout with over 20 distinct types inside of the 8,600 acres that define the appellation. Within that area, only about 1,000 are planted to vineyards. Predominantly farmed by small, independent producers, the region currently has just over 30 wineries.
During the growing season, late afternoon Pacific Ocean breezes reach the Spring Mountain vineyards, which sit at between 400 and 1,200 feet. Daytime temperatures during mid summer and early fall remain slightly cooler than those of the valley floor.
Spring Mountain soils—volcanic matter and sedimentary rock—create intense but balanced reds with lush and delicate tannins. The area excels with Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot and in some cooler spots, Chardonnay.