1993 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

The 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon is a remarkable wine, not dissimilar from the 1992. The 1993 reveals an opaque purple color, as well as a rich, jammy, pure nose of blackcurrant/cassis fruit intertwined with scents of minerals and high quality, spicy oak. The wine offers a cascade of lavishly rich, opulently textured, super-extracted fruit that is beautifully buttressed by oak and sweet tannin. Remarkably long, pure, and rich, this is a compelling Cabernet Sauvignon with no hard edges. Perfectly balanced, marvelously concentrated, and exciting, look for this wine to drink well young, but keep for 25 years. As exciting as these wines are, as a critic, my emotions are mixed because of the extremely limited quantities available. My advice - get on the winery's mailing list as quantities will be more abundant starting in 1996. This microscopic winery located near the Oakville Crossroads, just below Dalla Valle, created quite a stir among the handful of Cabernet lovers who were able to latch onto a bottle when proprietor Jean Phillips released her debut wine - the 1992. The wine is sold exclusively via a mailing list. On the few occasions I have been fortunate enough to taste it, the 1992 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon has been inching toward a three-digit score. It is unquestionably one of the greatest Cabernet Sauvignons I have tasted. From a quantitative perspective, the news on future availability is depressing. Because of phylloxera, there are only 135 cases of the 1993 Cabernet Sauvignon (a worthy candidate for wine of the vintage), 175 cases of the 1994, and a whopping 225 cases of the 1995. However, with new plantings coming into production, the outlook will improve; 500 cases of the 1996 will be made. A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc, this wine is made by winemaker/consultant Heidi Barrett. Before his death, Gustav Dalla Valle also provided considerable input. Tel. (707) 944-0749