2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
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The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is another huge, potent wine in this range. Opulently ripe black cherry, plum, mocha, spice and licorice all race out of the glass. Dense, plush and ultra-concentrated, the 2017 is an extroverted, approachable Cabernet that will drink well with minimal cellaring.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
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Made up of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve has warm plums, black currant preserves and black forest cake scents with anise, bay leaves and underbrush plus a waft of espresso. Full-bodied with good concentration, it has firm, grainy tannins and baked berries on the finish.
Still aging in mostly in new Taransaud barrels, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, and 3% Malbec) offers a saturated purple color as well as a big perfume of black and blue fruits, espresso, some background oak, full body, a silky, charming mid-palate, and sweet tannins. It's not going to match the 2016, but it’s a pure, seamless, powerful and incredibly impressive 2017.
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve captures all the best qualities of the year. Vertical and deep in feel, with tons of raciness, the 2017 has so much to offer. Black cherry, plum grilled herb, spice and new leather are beautifully delineated in this super-expressive, nuanced Cabernet Sauvignon. The Reserve is a bit less generous today than it often is, which may be related to a lower presence of Malbec in the blend in 2017.