2016 Ulysses Napa Valley
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Tasting notes
Wet winter led to dense canopies. Good flowering. Ripening slowed by cool, fog-prone August. Lots of warmth in the second half of September before harvest 24 September to 1 October. 1,300 cases produced. Deep glowing ruby. Very Cabernet nose. Then rather luscious fruit on the palate and a bit more like conventional Napa than the earthy 2015. A little dry on the end. Quite youthful. (JR)
Critic scores
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The deeply concentrated and densely colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon needs additional cellaring. While its tannins are ripe and reasonably supple, the flavors need time to unfold—right now, there's a lot of dark chocolate, mocha and rich loamy notes, with black cherries and cassis yet to really blossom. Full-bodied but restrained, elegant and reserved, it's the most Bordeaux-like of these three prior vintages, still in need of additional aging.
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Aged in 100% new oak. Super-syrupy fruit – it’s Napa all over, and that fruit just soaks up the oak. On the palate, there’s a touch of bitterness and lots of menthol character. Has the texture and intensity of luxury California, and perhaps the complexity is still all bound up in the primary fruit. It definitely has immediate impressiveness, and the tannins are nicely integrated, while still giving a bit of grip. This is growing on me. You might want a bit more wow factor considering the price, but the sheer purity of the fruit is flawless. (RH)
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon offers more cool blue fruits, violets, and damp rock-like minerality. Similarly styled on the palate, with medium to full body and a classic structure, it reminds me of a great St. Julien. Still relatively closed and backward, yet with tons of potential, hide bottles for 4-6 years and it should evolve nicely for upwards of two decades.