2016 Clos du Val - Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Vineyard
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Starting out with the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot), it's a rocking Cabernet that should be snatched up by readers looking for a terrific value in Napa Cabernet at the 50 dollar price point. Blue fruits, sappy herbs, some damp earth, and a touch of mint all emerge from this charming, medium to full-bodied, fruit-loaded effort that delivers the goods.
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Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Estate Vineyard is fabulous. Black cherry, bittersweet chocolate, new leather, spice, tobacco and menthol flesh out in an unctuous, medium to full-bodied Cabernet full of personality.
Deep purple-black in color, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Vineyard needs a little coaxing to reveal layers of very pretty black and red currants, black cherries and wild blueberries scents with underlying hints of new leather, dried mint, aniseed and fenugreek plus a waft of black olives. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a lot of character, harmony and depth, with the savory-accented black fruits superbly framed by ripe, grainy tannins, finishing long and refreshing.
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Hirondelle Estate Vineyard captures a fabulous interplay of dark, rich Stags Leap fruit and the structural underpinnings that are the signature of the year. Beautifully layered and expressive, the 2016 has a lot to offer. It is also quite a bit more energetic and nuanced than the 2015 tasted alongside it.