2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
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Tasting notes
(14.5% alcohol; includes 6% Petit Verdot): Deep ruby. Very closed, grapey scents of primary dark fruits and licorice, with some liqueur-like high tones emerging with air. Densely packed, chewy wine with a berry liqueur sweetness and plenty of early personality. This very large-scaled, spicy, structured wine finishes very long and vibrant, with substantial tannins that are a bit tough in the early going.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
94.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5.5% Petit Verdot. Dusty forest and bramble with ripe wild berries and accents of spice. Ripe fruit still with tannins, persistent and mouth-watering length – shows the exuberant, upfront fruit of the vintage. Oak tannins are drying the palate through the finish but that will likely integrate further with a bit of time in bottle. A bit sweet-fruit focused – again, it seems like some of the baby fat will fall away with time in bottle. (ECB)
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is striking. Silky, nuanced and exceptionally polished, the 2012 possesses notable purity, with gorgeous aromatics and notable energy. Hints of anise, savory herbs, iron, smoke and tobacco develop in the glass, but the flavors remain quite primary. This is a rare 2012 that is going to need time to fully come together. A dollop of Petit Verdot rounds out the blend. Today, the Estate is not as exuberant as it was last year, most likely the result of its recent bottling.