Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
From an organically farmed estate vineyard in Chiles Valley operated by the same family for more than 40 years, this 87% Cabernet Sauvignon-13% Merlot has soul and structure, as well a stony minerality that compels. Menthol and tobacco weave between thick layers of dark cherry and plum, complemented on the palate by exotic cardamom and clove. This is one worth cellaring through 2022 or giving an hour or two to open.
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James Suckling
Medium to full body, firm and chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. A beautiful wine to enjoy in 2019. Shows firmness and character.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Volker Eisele Family Vineyard is from the Chiles Valley District, one of Napa Valley’s under-the-radar AVAs. The wine’s dark ruby/purple color is accompanied by attractive red and blackcurrant fruit, raspberry, white chocolate, earth and a touch of oak. Medium-bodied and nicely concentrated with sweet tannin and a long finish, this graceful, stylish, well-made 2012 can be enjoyed over the next decade or more.
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.
Nestled in the Vaca Mountains on the northeast side of Napa Valley, Chiles Valley is one of the cooler Napa subregions with vineyards at about 600 to 1,200 feet in elevation. The region is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon blanc.