Cardinale Proprietary Red Wine 2016 (750ML)

99 JD / 97 WA / 96 VM

Just about as close to perfection as a wine can get, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon from winemaker Chris Carpenter comes mostly from mountain vineyards and is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot. This full-bodied, rounded, thrillingly textured beauty boasts a saturated purple color as well as a huge nose of crème de cassis, new saddle leather, barbecue smoke, and scorched earth. It has perfect integration of its fruit, tannins, acidity, and oak, carries remarkable power and intensity, yet still glides over the palate with no heaviness or sensation of weight. It’s going to be a legendary Napa Valley Cabernet and will have 3 decades or more of longevity. Jeb Dunnuck

The deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Proprietary Red Wine is blended of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot. It opens with compelling chocolate box and licorice scents over a core of black and red currants, warm plums and baking spices with hints of cedar chest and pencil lead. The palate is full-bodied with layers of cassis and kirsch flavors framed by firm, grainy tannins and fabulous freshness, finishing long and spicy. 4,772 cases produced. LPB – The Wine Advocate

The 2016 Cardinale is distinctly aromatic and nuanced. In 2016, winemaker Chris Carpenter built Cardinale around a core of Spring Mountain fruit. Perhaps for that reason, Cardinale is a bit more refined in the early going than is often the case. Silky, fine-grained tannins and mid-weight structure frame expressive dark cherry, plum, chocolate and new leather, but it is really the wine's overall feel that stands out most. A dollop of Merlot adds to a feeling of openness in this super-expressive Cardinale from winemaker Chris Carpenter. A range of sites in Stags Leap, Howell Mountain, Diamond Mountain, Mt. Veeder and St. Helena round out the blend. Antonio Galloni – The Wine Advocate