Winemaker Notes
Spring 2008 was extremely dry, which prompted the vines to push out early. Though daytime temperatures were picture-perfect, cold evening temperatures and some frost made for challenging conditions. Moderate, consistent temperatures continued throughout the summer, setting up excellent conditions for ripening rich, balanced fruit at harvest.
Ripe and spicy aromas offer vibrant layers of blackberry, cherry and pomegranate intermingled with notes of clove, cinnamon and anise. A savory impression of warm crust, accentuated by baked cherry and espresso elements, adds further depth to an already tantalizing nose. The wine is rich and mouthcoating from the first sip, displaying enticing fruit. Big rounded tannins add flavor and structure, as well as a firm but gentle grip that underscores beautiful concentration and viscosity.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature is a gorgeous, mid-weight wine laced with sweet dark plums, black cherries, menthol, tobacco and flowers. This gracious Cabernet Sauvignon-based red possesses lovely balance in an understated style. It should drink well for the next 5-7 years, perhaps longer. In the 2008 the blend is 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 9% Merlot and 5% Petite Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018.
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Wine Enthusiast
A wonderful Cabernet, dry and classically structured, notable for elegance and smooth power. A sort of junior version of the Pritchard Hill Estate bottling, it's rich and complex in blackberry and cherry, chocolate and cedar flavors, wrapped into smooth tannins. Now-2014.
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Wine Spectator
Offers a complex mix of cedar, dried currant, pencil shavings and mineral in a full-bodied style. Firm and tannic, ending with drying tannins. Drink now through 2022.
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.