Saddleback
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
, Napa Valley
Oakville

92 Points - Wine Spectator
92 Points - Beverage Tasting Institute BTI
92 Points - Tastings.com

Lofty aromas of ripe red fruits layered with notes of crushed violets, berry cobbler, cherry and creme brulee leading into crushed blackberry with cassis, mocha, leather, mineral, and baking spice.  Its all encompassing and bold mouthfeel are outstanding, as deep tannins dance around the palate, finishing with flavors of blackberry, fig, and pipe tobacco.  A Nils Venge Cabernet Sauvignon never disappoints!  Another incredible vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon from the "King of Cabs"!
Drink now through 2036.

Enjoy with Grilled Rib Eye Steak · Lamb Sliders · Roast duck with a cherry reduction · Roasted Eggplant · Cheddar cheese · Flourless chocolate cake

Winemaker:  Nils Venge, regarded as one of the foremost pioneers in the Napa Valley wine industry who became the first American winemaker to receive a perfect 100-point rating from Robert Parker on his 1985 Reserve Cabernet while at Groth.

Vintage:  The culmination of factors from another drought year in California surprised everyone with a beautiful vintage.  An unseasonably dry and mild winter, which led to an early spring, forced the vines into bud break during peak frost season.  A relatively warm, but even summer, resulted in early harvest dates, with lower-than-average yields with good quality.

Vineyard:  Hand-picked Cabernet Sauvignon on October 7-12th. The majority of the grapes came from the dry-farmed 9.5 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon planted on the estate, located one-third mile north of Oakville Cross Road on Money Road.  The estate soils are of Pleasanton and Bale loam series with spots of silt and gravel.  Rootstock is Teleki 5C on 6 x 12 ft. spacing. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from their Oakville vineyard.

Winemaking:  The fruit was sorted in the vineyard and on the crushpad then gently crushed into small fermenters and let to ferment on the skins 14 days after inoculation using ICVD254 yeast.  The wine went through a combination of punch-downs and pump-overs twice daily during this period.  After pressing, the wine was racked into 60% new French and 10% new American oak barrels and left to age for 24 months. During this time, native malolactic fermentation developed further complexity.  This wine was bottled filtered.

Varietal:  100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation:  Oakville, Napa Valley
Harvest date:  October 7-12th
Sugar:  24 Brix (average)
Fermentation:  Malolactic conversion
Skin Contact:  14 days punch-downs and pump-overs twice daily.
Total acid:  6 g/L
pH:  3.74
Aging:  24 months
Cooperage:  60% new French oak barrels
Bottling date:  April 2024
Release date:  July 2024
Alcohol: 14.4% by volume

Tasting Notes  PDF

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