99 Point Vintage - Wine Spectator
This is a bottle every Cabernet lover must have in their cellar for the next decade... or at least on their dinner table in the short term! Pairs perfectly with roasted duck breast with berry sauce or for a vegetarian option, try herbed goat cheese stuffed mushrooms.
Vintage: In a spectacular 2018 vintage that Wine Spectator awarded 99 points, Judd's Hill put out a stunner. Lush, structured, and complex, it's everything you want Napa Cabernet to be. A bountiful vintage marked by cool, consistent temperatures and a timely rainfall for bud break in March and April. Harvest began on September tenth, and the grapes were of the highest quality.
Winemaking: Crafted through thoughtful winemaking and artful blending. Each vintage of Founder’s Art begins with a tasting and assessment of the individual Bordeaux varietal barrels at Judd’s Hill. There are barrels that, when tasted, rise to the top of the list. Every year, the blend is slightly different, allowing the vintage to really shine. Vineyard sources for the 2018 vintage include: Weir, and Wolf.
The Label: The Founder’s Art embodies the physical media of art through the beautiful renderings of the founder, Art Finkelstein's paintings found on each vintage's label, as well as the ephemeral art inside the bottle.
Alcohol: 14.7% by volume
Varietals: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cab Franc, 4% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot
Appellation: Napa Valley Estate
Total acid: 6.0 g/L
pH: 3.70
Aging: 30% New French oak barrels
93 Points
Layers of blackberry and dark cherry with subtle hints of cedar, cocoa, and toasted oak. Rich and concentrated, it is supported by fine tannins and fresh acidity that bring balance and length to the finish. Approachable today, it also has the structure to reward additional time in the cellar.
95 Point Vintage
Opens with explosive aromatics of cassis, black plum, and sweet tobacco leaf, layered with warm baking spices (cinnamon and cardamom) and a light, complex ferrous mineral note. The Palate and mouthfeel is broad and sumptuous, bursting with flavors of juicy cherry pie, dark raspberry, and boysenberry compote.
The Finish carries a luxurious, savory presence showing undertones of leather, mocha, and milk chocolate, framed by supple, superfine tannins that melt into a long, polished finish.
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