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Tasting Notes
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 | 2019 |
| Appellation | Napa Valley |
| Alcohol % | 14% |
Scores & Accolades
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94“Aromas of plum, earth and fresh mint. Full-bodied with velvety, slightly tight tannins. A solid core of red and black fruit with subtle spice character. Light-footed and pleasantly delicate. 83% cabernet sauvignon, 5% malbec, 4% petit verdot, 4% tannat and 3% merlot. Best after 2024.” - James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, June 1, 2022
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93“Another wine that reaches outside the winery's home AVA, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville boasts scents of black cherries, loamy earth, subtle dried spices and cedar. Matured in 40% new French oak, it's a classic rendering of the appellation, medium to full-bodied and silky, with fine-textured tannins and a long, elegant finish.” - Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advoate, September 2022
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 2019 harvest started one to two weeks later than previous years, mostly due to February rains, but because the vines were in their winter dormancy, it did not affect the 2019 crop. Spring continued to be wet with some rain during flowering, followed by cool temperatures that allowed the grapes to mature gradually. Most grapes ripened at lower sugars, thanks to the extended, cool growing season, and winemakers were pleased with the full flavors, fresh acidity, and superb balance of the 2019 fruit. The resulting crop showed a modest yield with a slightly more compact structure and extract than in previous years.Vineyard
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.