Trefethen Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Trefethen Family Vineyards Dragon's Tooth Red is made from 49% Malbec, 27% Petit Verdot and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Our Nana, Catherine Trefethen, was Welsh. Her twin loves of wine and family were the original inspiration for our estate in Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll District. Celebrating our heritage, “Y Ddraig Goch”, the symbol of Wales, adorns this bottle of Dragon’s Tooth, a provocative blend born from the rockiest part of our vineyard.

This wine opens with expressive aromas of cherry and blackberry accented with notes of fig, tobacco leaf, and sarsaparilla. Full-bodied and balanced, the integrated flavors of ripe dark fruit lead to a lush and abundant finish.

Review:

A rich, round red with plum, berry, chocolate and walnut character. Lots of cherry flavors. It’s full-bodied with round tannins and a delicious finish. 49% malbec, 27% petit verdot and 24% cabernet sauvignon. Drink or hold.

-James Suckling 94 Points

Morlet Family Vineyards Mon Chevalier Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Malbec and Petit Verdot .

Located on the hillsides of Knights Valley, near Calistoga, this vineyard benefits from its proximity to Mount St. Helena, whose warm and windy climate is ideal for the long ripening of the Bordeaux red varietals. Handcrafted by using classical winemaking techniques, this special wine is dedicated to our son, Paul Morlet.

Dark red with a hue of purple. Intense and complex bouquet of red, black and blue berries intermixed with notes of blueberries, minerals (graphite, wet river rocks) licorice, fresh blond tobacco and a hint of lavender. Full bodied, the palate is reminiscent of the nose, with a richly tannic yet round frame and a great intensity. The hillside tannins and the classical aromatic complexity create a harmonious ensemble, leading to a very long and elegant finish. Built to age for decades, this collectible wine opens up after a few years of cellaring and is particularly representative of this special vineyard from the hillside of Knights Valley. Mon Chevalier features the interaction of the loamy, well drained and rocky volcanic soil, the typical sunny mountain climate and the low-interventionistic Morlet winemaking approach.

Propietary Name Mon Chevalier

Name Meaning My Knight Named after our son, Paul Morlet

Varietal composition 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot 2% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot

Type of wine Vineyard designated

Appellation Knights Valley

Vineyard singularity Morlet Family Estate Hillside 1100-1200 feet elevation Rhyolitic, loam & volcanic ash

Typical harvest date End of October

Picking Manual, small lugs, refer truck

Sorting Cluster by cluster, berry per berry

Fermentation Through native yeast Tank and Puncheons

Upbringing 16 months French oak from artisan coopers

Bottling Unfiltered

Cellaring time Decades

Serving Room temperature

Decanting recommended

Review: 

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Mon Chevalier, which includes no Merlot (it’s 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Malbec and Petit Verdot) is a black fruited, powerful 2015 that just fills the mouth with fruit. Blueberries, plums, violets, chocolate, and savory herb notes all emerge from this full-bodied, big, meaty, licorice-laced effort that, like all of Luc’s wines, stays balanced, graceful and pure. Drink it anytime over the coming 25+ years.

-Jeb Dunnuck 98 Points

Bressia Monteagrelo Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernert Sauvignon.

Vineyards are 3,000 feet above sea level, located in Lujan de Cuyo.

"Bressia Monteagrelo combines the soul of each varietal, its intimate relationship with the origin and its deep roots with a unique terroir in the world...Monteagrelo is our family of wines and, as in any family, each one expresses their own identity and varietal personality that makes them unforgettable and unrepeatable." - Walter Bressia

Intense red color with purple tones. Pepper, spice and red fruit aromas on the nose. Well balanced, ripe and harmonious. Full bodied with great structure.

Review:

"Youthful, assertive and intensely oaked, this stylish Cabernet Sauvignon combines fruit from Agrelo and Gualtallary in the classic Mendoza two-step. Smoky, dense and quite firm, with damson and cassis fruit, it’s a wine with one eye on the future."

- Tim Atkin (Argentina Special Report 2020), 90 pts

Double Diamond by Schrader Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 

A unique expression of the Napa Valley region from which it's born, Double Diamond Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Red Wine is a dazzling and harmonious integration of decadent fruit, refined structure, and exotic spices. Made with quality red grapes from acclaimed Oakville vineyards known for highly diverse, resilient soils and an ideal blend of sun, cooling wind, and rain, this Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon red wine keeps company with some of the most sought-after cabernet sauvignon in the world. Aged 16 months in French oak barrels, this red California wine opens with intriguing aromas of Mexican chocolate, nutmeg, brambly fruit, spearmint, and violets. Each sip of this dark red wine is voluptuous, sleek, and inviting, with a silky tannin profile that provides a complex framework. A delicious red wine with rich palate notes of black currant, blackberry reduction, leather, crushed rock, and allspice, this 750 mL bottled wine can be enjoyed promptly. With three to five years in the cellar, this bottle of red wine will develop into an even more beautiful expression of the vintage. Crafted by renowned winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown in collaboration with Fred Schrader of Schrader Cellars, this aromatic red grape wine's rich taste brings out the best flavors of savory dishes like roast duck and lamb, grilled steaks with roasted mushrooms, and Tuscan meatballs. For best taste, store this cabernet sauvignon bottle of wine at room temperature then chill for 30 minutes before serving. Please enjoy our wines responsibly. 2020 Schrader Cellars, Oakville, CA

 Double Diamond is sourced exclusively from a complement of prime vineyard estates. Sourced from the same famed vineyards as its beloved inspiration Schrader Cellars in Napa Valley’s world-renowned Oakville AVA, including our To Kalon Vineyard.

Review:

Readers looking to get a taste of the impeccable quality and style from Schrader at a more affordable price point would do well to check out the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Double Diamond. Coming all from Oakville, it has a classic Cabernet nose of black and blue fruits, green tobacco, cedar pencil, damp earth, and chocolate. It's not over the top and has beautiful varietal character as well as medium to full body, ripe yet present tannins, good overall freshness, and a great finish. This is beautifully done and well worth a case purchase. I'd lean toward drinking bottles over the coming 10-12 years, but I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see it evolve longer. It's a candidate for the best Napa Cabernet under $100.

-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points

A Schrader-related wine made by Thomas Rivers Brown, this 100% varietal wine is a showcase of the appellation, wide in appeal and bold, ripe red fruit. Sage, tar, cedar and pencil provide varietal complexity and contrast to the fruit; the tannin's are integrated yet still grippy. Enjoy best from 2028–2038.

 -Wine Enthusiast 94 Points & Cellar Selection.  

Far Niente Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon  is made from 93.3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.8% Petit Verdot, 2.3% Cabernet Franc, 0.5% Merlot and 0.1% Malbec.

An elegant perfume of mixed berries, baking spice, dried lavender and thyme open onto a full palate layered with expansive mixed berry, black tea, toasted oak and spice flavors. Focused and fresh, fine grained tannins support the wine throughout, while the finish is silky, long and lifted.

The wine combines select vineyards in Rutherford, Calistoga and St. Helena that complement our home in Oakville and embody our long-established house style. Cabernet has been a hallmark of Far Niente’s winemaking program beginning with its very first vintage in 1982. The marriage of these diverse vineyard sites has allowed us to craft our finest expression of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine exemplifies our nearly four decades of mastery in growing and making Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Review:

This memorable Cabernet Sauvignon has small amounts of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec blended in. Aged 17 months in a majority of new French oak, it unfurls flavors of red fruit, dried herb and clove over a core of youthful tannin and spicy oak. Best from 2028–2038. Cellar Selection. 

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

Including small amounts of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon sports a deep purple color as well as classic Cabernet notes of blackcurrants, new leather, tobacco leaf, flowers, and lead pencil. Beautifully done on the palate and made in a seamless, elegant style, it has a kiss of Pauillac in its nicely integrated acidity, ripe, building tannins, a touch of earthiness, and a great finish. It's not a blockbuster, just seamless and elegant, with a thrilling character. It should keep for 20+ years.

-Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points

Faust The Pact Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Faust is a tribute to Napa Valley's noblest grape- full-bodied, decadently rich and unctuous Cabernet Sauvignon. To express the complexity of the grape and diversity of the Napa Valley, Faust sources Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Agustin’s family vineyards in Rutherford and Coombsville, plus smal lots from spectacular mountain and valley terroirs such as Atlas Peak, Mount Veeder, Oakville and St. Helena.

Review:

 "This is really something, showing focus and purity that highlights the unique character of this appellation. So much blue fruit, lavender and walnut with some herbal and sweet tobacco undertones It’s full-bodied, yet tight and poised. Lovely quality to the tannins. Exceptional.”

- 96 Points James Suckling