94 Points, Platinum - Monterey Wine Competition - March 2021
91 Points - Wine Advocate, Lisa Perrotti-Brown - Nov 2020
90 Points - Jeb Dunnuck - Jan 2021
The finish is long and expressive, with spiced fruit flavors lingering endlessly. Will drink well for 10-15 years.
WINEMAKER NOTES
A "goldilocks" vintage. The excellent weather lasted from fruit set through harvest and allowed for maximum hanging time for the grapes. It was a bountiful harvest, but what is quantity without quality? Thankfully this vintage delivered in that department as well.
VINEYARDS
The S&J Vineyard is made up of 206 acres of land located east of the Vaca Mountain range in Napa’s Capell Valley. Purchased in 2000, it is named for Darryl Frank’s children, Stella and Jeremy, and is planted to 58 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, along with 9 acres of Petite Sirah and 9 acres of Zinfandel. The soils are fertile, well-drained and clay loam-based, reminiscent of the Rutherford Bench.
The Benjamin Vineyard is located east of Conn Creek Road in the heart of the Rutherford AVA. Purchased by Rich Frank in 2012, the 87-acre parcel was formerly known as Wood Ranch was renamed for Paul Frank’s son, and is planted with 50 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, 8 acres of Petit Verdot, and 2 acres each of Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. The vineyard is composed of gravelly loam soil as a result of sediment from the Conn Creek and Napa River which flowed through the region thousands of years ago.
Additional vineyard sources: Round Pond Estate in Rutherford; Delouise, Gaskins, and Shooting Star Vineyards located in Napa Valley.
Winemaker: Todd Graff
Vintage: 2018
Appellation: 100% Napa Valley
Varietal Composition: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Merlot
Harvest Date: October 17 - November 6, 2018
Aging: 20 months in 33% new and 67% once and twice-filled French oak barrels.
Bottled: July 2020
pH: 3.64
TA: 0.60 g/100ml
Alcohol: 14.5%
Gold Medal
Generously packed with black cherry, cola, cassis, and plum that all intermingle together in a creamy, velvety texture with great layering, finishing with delightful notes of oak and spice. Persistent, well-defined structure, wonderfully balanced.
96 Point Vintage
Entices with aromas of Bing cherry, raspberry, and cedar spice. Indicative of the cool vintage, the wine carries a freshness throughout. The palate offers a harmonious balance between bright red fruit, spice, and nicely woven tannins.
94 Points
Opulent dark fruited with blackberry and ironstone mineral character, blue fruit notes, and violets with crushed cocoa nibs nuances and a long dark chocolate and mineral-scented finish. Ultra delicious and quite lengthy.
98 Points
Deep purple hue and an alluring aromatic profile of fresh blue fruits and delicate violets. On the palate, it delivers a seamless and layered texture, framed by supple, polished tannins and a refined sense of balance. Elegantly structured, it offers remarkable purity and finesse, finishing with graceful length and poise.
95 Points
This stellar Napa Valley Red Blend marries lush plum and cherry with Malbec's dark berry depth and Petit Verdot's structure and spice. Layered with notes of blackberry, violet, and cocoa, this silky wine finishes with smooth tannins and a whisper of toasted oak. Robust and mouth-filling, with spicy nuances, smooth tannins, firm structure, and a long lingering finish.
94 Points
Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with vibrant notes of fresh black currants, kirsch, and mulberries... Full-bodied, the palate delivers a firm line of grainy tannins with bold freshness to frame the muscular black fruit, finishing long and cedary.
Gold Medal
Light pink in color with aromas of watermelon, cranberry, orange rind, and fresh spring flowers that leap from the glass. The palate offers more peach, strawberry, and melon, with an intriguing note of rose and hibiscus. It's crisp with just the perfect hint of red fruit, and delicate whisper of strawberry that gives goosebumps.
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