Winemaker Notes
Appearance exhibits a deep ruby hue. Aromas are layered with berry and flavors of cherry, cassis and plum. There is a core minerality with lavender tones. The oak is well integrated and has nice toast aroma with hints of vanilla and wild sage. Onthe palate the wine is lush and firm but also has mature tannins and suppletexture.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This is a brawny, generous and powerful wine that holds its full-bodied concentration in check, showing a balanced approach to oak and tannin. Black cherry, currant and cocoa powder are accented by toasted oak and lingering black pepper, nutmeg and cedar on the finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Yao Ming is blended of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. It opens with soothing eucalyptus, rose petal and chocolate box scents over a core of blackcurrant cordial, Black Forest cake and wild blueberries with a touch of pencil lead. Medium to full-bodied with a delicately played, beautifully crafted palate, it has a firm line of fine-grained tannins and invigorating freshness lifting the fragrant flavors to a long finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Leading off with the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Yao Ming, which seems downright cheap compared to the other releases, this is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and the balance Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, aged in 65% new French oak. Deep purple-colored, with a nose of cassis, black raspberry fruits, notes of cedar, lead pencil, and tobacco, it's medium to full-bodied, has solid balance, and enough tannin to keep it drinking nicely for 10-15 years.
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Wine Spectator
Ripe and focused, with a core of warm black currant and blackberry preserve flavors, laced with subtle charcoal, tobacco and loam notes. Stays fresh despite the slightly rustic edge underneath. Best from 2020 through 2025.
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.