96 Points - Chris Sawyer "Sommelier to the Stars"
To separate itself from the massive number of Cabernets aged in French oak barrels, this elegant and complex release is aged in fine American oak. As a result, this high-end, limited release offering joins an elite class of producers, including Silver Oak, Peter Michael and Ridge Vineyards, which work with specialty barrels that are hand-crafted with fine-grain wood from oak forests in Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and other selected states.
The fruit is from the famed Oakville & Atlas Peak appellations in Napa Valley and slowly aged for 24 months to allow plenty of time to soften the tannins and add layers of additional nuances to the finished blend.
Food Pairings: Blue cheese, roasted eggplant, pan-seared duck with wild berry sauce, juicy ribeye steaks, rack of lamb, and flourless chocolate cake.
Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Napa Valley
Alcohol: 14.5% by volume
Aging: 24 months on American oak
A little more structured and fragrant than previous vintages. It rested in barrel a little longer than previous years, and embellished with more new French oak. Offering aromas of dark cherry, spice, and tobacco. A full mid palate with flavors of black cherry, blueberry-pomegranate and cherry cola, embellished with toasty oak.
Lip Smacking Delicious!
Tropical, rich, with tons of layering and depth... aromas of key lime, papaya, gala apple, cherry blossom and lemon. Flavors of melon, lime, orange, sweet lemon, Asian pear.
95 Points, Double Gold
Deep ruby in color this wine is juicy and structured. Blueberry, black cherry and wild blackberry, framed by notes of sweet licorice, violets, sage and bay leaf. Firm tannins hint at a long life ahead in the cellar, and the wine remains impeccably balanced.
93 Points
Aromas of macerated black raspberry, fresh black cherry, rose petals and a touch of butterscotch. Black cherry flavors take center stage on the palate with notes of strawberry fruit, leather and sweet toasted baking spices on the finish.
94 Points
Rich and generous, with a deep purple hue. Aromas of crushed violets, ripe berries, blueberry pop-tarts, black currant, licorice, chocolate-coated espresso beans, allspice, and cedar box. Full-bodied with a plush, velvety texture.
96 Points
Ripe, elegant, and juicy. Opens up with alluring aromas of red and black fruit with notes of roasted espresso, mocha, leather, mineral, fresh sage, savory spices, and cedar fill your glass.
90 Points
Earthy notes of coffee bean, plum, and black pepper. Flavors of juicy black currant and black cherry explode on the palate. An uplifting freshness is carried through the mid-palate with complex and dense tannins.
New Release
Elegant, plush, and backed by power and grace. The nose pushes notes of ripe plum, sweet maple-cured bacon, lavender, five-spice, and blueberry. The palate is lush with cherry pipe tobacco, blackberry, raspberry held together by mineral overtones and fresh acidity.
93 Points
Deep red hue and hints of violet teasing the senses with seductive aromas of dark fruits, wild berries, cocoa, baking spices, leather, and cigar box. Filled with saturated flavors of ripe blackberry, blueberry, cassis, cherry cola, ripe plum, fresh sage, licorice, clove, and roasted black walnut.