Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Very pretty blackberry, blackcurrant, walnut, forest-flower and dark-walnut aromas follow through to a full body with round, juicy tannins that are fine-grained and beautiful. Lovely length and generosity, but reserved at the finish to give it tension. Mostly from the Soscol vineyard. 97% cabernet sauvignon. Drink or hold.

Velvety thick in caramel, oak and rich layers of dark fruit, this wine offers hints of cedar and dried herb that complement and help to make it more complex. Made in a generous, full-bodied style, it shows heft and depth, the tannins structured and robust.

From the excellent, solar 2018 vintage in Napa. This has dark and ripe berry fruits on the nose - smells rich and vibrant. The texture is soft and smooth on the tongue but there’s an incredible amount of density and depth to the tannins and overall flavour. The mouth is filled with generous and chewy blackcurrant fruit and a menthol freshness that gives an enjoyably cool finish. Round and powerful. A blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec from estate and grower vineyards in St. Helena, south Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District and the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. The wine was aged for eighteen months in 40% new oak (49% French, 51% American) and 60% one- to two-year-old French and American barrels before bottling.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, coming from vineyard locations in south Napa Valley, St. Helena, Oak Knoll District and Stags Leap District. It was aged for 18 months in 40% new (51% American, 49% French) and 60% one- to two-year-old French and American oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it does pirouettes out of the glass with notes of crushed blackberries, wild blueberries and ripe blackcurrants plus hints of lilacs, menthol, forest floor and pencil shavings with a touch of wild sage. Medium-bodied, the palate is as intense as it is elegant, featuring layers of fresh black and blue fruits and gentle herbal accents, framed by firm, grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and minerally. 36,000 cases were made.

The larger production 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley shows the vintage nicely and has a classic, balanced, medium to full-bodied style that offers textbook Cabernet Sauvignon notes of crème de cassis, smoke tobacco, damp earth, and chocolate. Medium to full-bodied and nicely concentrated, this is a young, relatively unevolved, yet beautifully balanced 2018 that will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 10-15 years.