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Tasting Notes
The 2018 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is bursting with dark berry aromas and flavors. Notes of blackberry, black cherry and black currant are evident alongside baking spice notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. You’ll also find more rustic notes of wild chaparral sage, lavender and thyme, all hints from the well-integrated oak ageing and iconic terroir character. The structure is full and round, with velvety mouth-filling tannins, finishing long with incredible structure and balance. The wine is generous, concentrated and complex, unfolding with layers of nuance and a bright core of acidity. A mouthwatering and pleasing Cabernet, sure to entice any Cabernet lover, that has the potential to age for many years to come.Technical Information
| Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Appellation | Napa Valley |
| Blend | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Oak Treatment | 100% French oak barrels (43% new) for 21 months |
| Alcohol % | 14.3% |
Scores & Accolades
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95
JamesSuckling.com
“This is a very subtle Oakville with dusty and creamy-textured tannins and a medium-to full-bodied palate with blackcurrant and berry character. Hints of cocoa and hazelnut, too.” - James Suckling, June 2021
Winemaking
This small bottling of Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is a barrel selection of the most expressive lots from the Oakville appellation. This blend was fermented separately in French oak barrels (25% new) for 19 months and blended just prior to bottling. Custom-toasted, very low impact barrels of new French oak were hand-selected, which supported the wine during maturation but did not impart excessive flavors. Keeping the lots separate throughout fermentation and aging allowed Christophe to monitor and evaluate each lot individually, coaxing each to its maximum potential and complexity.Vintage
The Napa Valley region enjoyed a stunning, near picture-perfect 2018 growing season including good winter rains, mild spring weather and steady temperatures throughout that allowed for even flowering and bud break. These ideal growing conditions were followed by a cool, even and slow-paced harvest which allowed the winery to vinify wines at a gentle pace. The resulting 2018 wines are of very high quality with lower alcohol, concentrated flavors, color and excellent acidity.Vineyard
Winemaker Christophe Paubert has always loved Cabernet Sauvignon fruit from the Oakville appellation, as it’s been a part of the backbone for our esteemed Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons for many years. This 2018 vintage marks the inaugural release of this small-lot bottling. Oakville, which is located in the heart of Napa Valley, has the perfect climate and soils that are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, so this wine captures a pure expression of Cabernet from Napa’s well-known centrally located appellation.
The majority of the blend comes from Gamble Ranch, tucked away just off of Highway 29 and Silverado Trail, in the heart of Napa Valley’s Oakville District. Here the soils are rocky and concentrated with varied soil types. For the most part, you find alluvium derived from volcanic, metamorphic or sedimentary rock, but there are some soils derived from volcanic parent material weathering in place. Although the ranch is primarily flat on the valley floor, the views are spectacular. It’s an historical location within the valley and is geographically situated in close proximity to our Stags Leap estate.