| Country: | United States |
| Regions: | California California (Napa) |
| Winery: | Waterbrook Winery |
| Grape Type: | Merlot |
| Vintage: | 2012 |
| Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
The backbone of this Cabernet Sauvignon is derived from a vineyard in the Atlas Peak AVA of Napa Valley where soils are volcanic in origin and have limited water retention. The balance of fruit is sourced from Coombsville and Oak Knoll. The small berry clusters and intense fruit from low-yielding vines create a wine with full flavor and longevity.
This Cabernet delivers multi-layered aromas of ripe black cherries, toasted oak, dark chocolate, cardamom, vanilla bean, and cedar. A rich medium-bodied wine with plush rounded tannins and juicy blackberries and orange zest that linger on the finish.
TA: 0.72 g/100ml
pH: 3.59
The grapes for this wine were grown in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, where soils are transitional from gravel to silty clay loam. The climate is moderate to cool with marine air until mid-morning and frequent late afternoon breezes that maintain cooler temperatures and ensure a longer growing season. Chardonnay from this region showcase flavors of crisp apple, mineral notes and tropical fruit with good acidity.
Aromas of lemon curd, sweet butter, brioche and sun-ripened peach mingle with notes of nutmeg and vanilla bean. The palate is creamy, with zesty lemon overtones and minerality persisting on the finish.
Napa Bench Cabernet Sauvigon Napa Valley is made from 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 2% Petite Verdot.
The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 16 months.
The Bench lands of Napa Valley are where we find Cabernet Sauvignon with Power and Strength. Elegant and supple tannins complete the structure. Bench lands are the geological middle ground that connect the Valley Floor with the Mountain rises, perfectly drained soils!
NAPA BENCH Cabernet Sauvignon is a sophisticated blend of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. We start with Cabernet Sauvignon 95%, blend Merlot 3%, and finish with Petite Verdot 2%. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 16 months.
Tasting Notes
NAPA BENCH is rich and flavorful. Red and dark fruits are apparent in the nose with Plum, Currant and Blackberry tones. The aroma is layered and shows the power of Cabernet and of oak nuance. The pallet is fine grained tannin, long and refined with a high degree of Deliciosity! The finish lingers and invites a second glass. Share with your favorite friends, and always with your hottest date.
Cardinale Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot.
Super structured and with minerality to spare, this Cabernet Sauvignon offers a real presence on the palate from start to finish. Generous notes of dark chocolate balance beautifully with a blue and black fruit flavor explosion, finishing with a subtle whisper of rose petal.
Reviews:
- James Suckling 98 Points
Colgin Cellars Jubilation Napa Valley is made from 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot.
In keeping with the extraordinary growing season, the 2021 Jubilation by Colgin Cellars is brimming with intense fruits and pure mineral notes of stone and graphite. Vivid aromas of black cherry, baking spices and savory herbs resonate on the nose. Sleek, yet silky tannins glide across the palate with a graceful feel. The succulence of the palate lingers with subtle flavors of cocoa and licorice.
Review:
Splendid aromas of plums, bark, earth, cedar and some light chocolate and wet earth undertones. It’s medium- to full-bodied, with creamy and very fine tannins giving it depth and length. A blend of vineyards, including Colgin Vineyards and Vine Hill. Gorgeous now.
James Suckling 97 Points
Decoded Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2023 is made from Cabernet Sauvignon.
A Napa Valley red built around Cabernet Sauvignon with a splash of Merlot, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot, aged roughly ten months in French oak (about 30% new).
Decoded is the Napa Valley range from Navigator Wine Collection, the négociant house formerly known as Precision Wine Company. Founded in 2010 by winemaker Trevor Sheehan on a buy-the-best-lots model, the house has grown into one of the largest wine producers in the United States, sourcing from vineyards across Napa and greater California, and was renamed Navigator in 2025 under president Taylor Case. The Decoded label — its cipher-print bottle a nod to the name — is built to deliver Napa Valley character at an everyday price.
Review:
"Black plums and berries poured over with chocolate and a pinch of coffee grounds fill the mouth with flavor. Spices and potpourri emerge with further sipping as fine tannins carry through the finish. Medium bodied and polished. — Elaine Chukan Brown" - Wine Enthusiast (April 1st 2026), 90 ptsWaterstone Merlot Napa Valley 2012 is 100 percent Merlot
Sweet cherry, ripe plum, hints of vanilla and overtones of anise and aged leather appear in the aroma. On the palate, this generous wine features cherry, plum and blackberry fruit with supple tannins and a lingering finish.
The Waterbrook Winery Estate
Waterbrook Winery was founded in 1984 by Eric and Janet Rindal and is located in Washington State's lovely Walla Walla Valley. This name was chosen to complement the translation from Nez Perce Indian dialect for the name Walla Walla, meaning "running water". Production has slowly increased to a total of 30,000 cases annually.
“Nearly definitive Washington State winery; top choice for genuinely expressive wines of moderate prices.” - Anthony Dias' blue pocket guide to wine 2006
The Waterbrook Winery Vineyards
The region is characterized by dry, arid conditions with long daylight hours and cool nights, which allow the grapes to ripen at a slow, even pace. The Walla Walla Valley is slightly cooler and wetter. The regions must all rely completely on irrigation throughout the season as rainfall averages only 8 to 11 inches annually. Grapes are purchased from some of Columbia Valley's finest and oldest vineyards. Since exceptional wines can only be made from exceptional fruit, close contact with growers is maintained throughout the year.
- Red Mountains, Yakima Valley: The area's southwestern slope has produced some of the most coveted grapes in the Columbia Valley and sealed its reputation as one of the top sights for superlative fruit in Washington State. The unique combination of topography, soil, altitude and microclimate produce the perfect environment for red wine grapes.
- Waterbrook Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley: Planted in the spring of 1998 this twelve acre chardonnay vineyard is in the heart of the Walla Walla Valley. The vineyard's growth is consistent and uniform but not overly vegitative, showing great potential in the years ahead. It's first harvest is successful with low tonage and exceptional flavored fruit.
Mascot is a small-production label founded by Will Harlan in Napa Valley. The wines under this label are made from the younger vines of Harlan Estate, BOND, and Promontory, but The Mascot bottles share an exclusive preview at the development of their estates. Founded as an initial experiment to see what the young vines were capable of producing, the wines were initially only shared with close friends and family. By 2008, Will officially released the first vintage to the public since production had increased significantly. They create just one wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon, and the bottle is aged for five years before release. Assembled into a single, youthful expression, this wine shares a glimpse into the evolution and pedigree of its parent estates.
Tasting Notes:
Following a vintage full of changing conditions and demanding decision points, the steady and pleasant progress of the 2018 vintage left our team, at times, in limbo. Contradictory as it may seem, the dramas that sometimes punctuate the definitive months for the growing season help to frame the winegrowing team’s course of action; yet the tranquil succession of weeks that emerged between spring and fall in 2018 left almost entirely open the question of when to harvest. Healthy rainfall in March and April preceded a benevolent summer, whose mildness was interrupted only briefly by a few warming periods. The fruit of the young vines maintained a measured balance that gave the team little indication that harvest was imminent. Fog and temperate days followed in September, when—relying more on instinct than empirical cues—we began to pick. This judgment—as well as the gentle nature of the season—is confirmed in the subtle, ethereal power of the vintage, which reveals itself first in the deep, brooding aromas of dark fruit, black tea, and herbal notes. The texture expands around a lifted structure, as powdery tannins gently resolve. This diffused, enigmatic softness is anchored on the mid-palate by a gratifying density, which prepares the senses for a flourish of hidden energy and vivid detail that illuminates the finish.
Castlebrae Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough is made from 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc.
This is a single vineyard wine made with fruit from Castlebrae vineyard, located at the mouth of the Awatere River. The vines were planted in 2007 and 2013 giving a nice mix of maturity.
The wine has vibrant notes of lychee, bell pepper and citrus characters on the nose. Fresh tropical and grassy characters fill the front palate, the mid palate is juicy and the wine finishes with a nice, sweet edge. The palate has a unique freshness that is due to the free draining soils found at the growing site.