Premier Cru - Cabernet Sauvignon RSS/RDF Feed http://www.premiercru.net/premier/jsp/xml/premiercrucab.php http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=37885 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=39302 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=39301 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=CE853 94 points Wine Spectator: "A flashy, exciting red. Full-bodied and well structured, with blackberry, cedar and mineral aromas and flavors, masses of silky tannins and a long finish. Absolutely delicious to drink now, or age it as long as you like." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=RE737 98 points Parker: "The dark ruby-colored 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon (3,150 cases) contains 3% Cabernet Franc. This spectacular wine explodes from the glass with loads of flowers (mostly violets), cassis, black cherries, blackberries, and underlying fresh herbs. Feeling like liquid satin on the palate, it is broad, densely-packed, and has stupendous depth. A refined effort, its medium to full-bodied personality is crammed with highly-detailed black fruits and loads of exquisitely ripe tannin. In addition, the taster has the distinct feeling that this wine is holding much of its fruit in reserve... This blockbuster has it all! Projected maturity: 2007-2018. They?ve done it again!" http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=30209 92 points Parker: "The 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard, is a beauty. The healthy ruby/purple color is followed by classic, unevolved but promising aromas of minerals, cedar, smoke, and black currants. The wine is medium to full-bodied, with admirable purity, a sweet, lush mid-palate, and ripe tannin in the finish. The top-notch 1997 is a classic, restrained. Anticipated maturity: now-2020." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=17311 95 points Parker: "The 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard (a 1,750-case blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Merlot) boasts explosive aromas of incense, creme de cassis, minerals, and flowers. It is medium to full-bodied, with great harmony, and a sweet attack as well as finish. This is a classic example of power and richness allied to considerable elegance. Those in the foreign press who accuse California of being incapable of producing elegant wines have obviously never tasted this Cabernet. Anticipated maturity: now-2020." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=25555 94 points Parker: "The saturated purple-colored 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard offers an attractive nose of black fruits intermixed with toast, minerals, subtle tar, and wood smoke. Full-bodied, with impressive purity, a multi-layered mid-palate and finish, it is an expressive, pure, powerful, and large-boned wine." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=13404 96 points Parker: "The 2002 Insignia is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec. This wine has put on considerable weight since last year. An exotic nose of spice box, soy, creme de cassis, chocolate, espresso, and various spices is followed by extravagant fruit on the attack, a voluptuous, medium to full-bodied palate, and a long, ripe, concentrated finish with the tannins well-concealed behind significant glycerin and concentration. This beauty is more extroverted than the 2001. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2023." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=31744 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=39218 96 points Parker: "The 2005 Dominus (a 7,000-case cuvee of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest equal parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot) has come of age, and is one of the strongest efforts they?ve made. It is possibly the best Dominus since the 2001, and perhaps even the 1997 or 1991. A beautiful, sweet nose of roasted coffee interwoven with kirsch, black currant, cedar, and spice box emerges from this deep ruby/purple-colored wine. The wine has fabulous intensity, a layered, opulent, full-bodied mouthfeel, well-integrated acidity, and a stunningly long finish. The layering of this wine as it builds incrementally on the palate is something to behold. An outstanding, sexy, ageworthy Dominus, it will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring, and last for at least 25 or 30 years. When I am tasting at Dominus, they always present a wine opened the day before and decanted, and one just opened, and the extended aeration version always seems to be the better example of the wine, so plenty of decanting seems to be in order." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=38744 87 points Wine Spectator: "A fleshy wine, with smooth cherry, plum and blackberry fruit that's supple and engaging, turning elegant and graceful. Drink now through 2008." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=30802 95 points Parker: "The bottled 2003 Harlan Estate is as good or even better than I had hoped. With a dark ruby/purple color, silky tannin, and abundant quantities of licorice, graphite, chocolate, espresso, black currant, truffle, and earthy characteristics, it comes across like a hypothetical blend of a top-notch Pauillac and Graves. Superb texture, low acidity, and gorgeous purity as well as richness suggest it will drink well for two decades or more. http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=36719 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=39215 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=39216 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=39217 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=13282 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=20292 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=30820 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=27152 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=RE746 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=33557 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=CE808 90 points Parker: "The 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a dense ruby/purple color. Made from fruit that was harvested between October 30 and November 4 (50% of the crop was cut off to guarantee only ripe fruit), it reveals aromas of tapenade, licorice, black currants, smoked herbs, and earth. The wine offers abundant black fruits, outstanding richness and complexity. It can be drunk early, but will easily age for 15 or more years." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=18891 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=RE120 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=RE182 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=CE157 98 points Parker: "The full-bodied, classically-styled, Bordeaux-like 2002 La Joie?s (64.2% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28.5% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, and .3% Malbec) deep ruby/purple color is followed by gorgeous aromas of black truffles, scorched earth, tobacco leaves, blackberry and cassis liqueur, and notions of minerals as well as acacia flowers. This stunning red can be drunk in 2-3 years, or cellared for two decades." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=33243 87 points Wine Spectator: "Rich and mouthfilling, with spicy currant, fresh earth, pencil lead and wild berry, finishing with firm, leathery tannins and good length. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot. Best from 2004 through 2011." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=26687 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=39200 93-95 points Parker: "The powerful, concentrated 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (14.3% alcohol) exhibits aromas of black currant jam, tar, smoke, and forest floor. This opulent, rich 2003, while less flamboyant than the extroverted 2002, is deep, chewy, pure, and well-delineated. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025+." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=33301 100 points Parker's WA: "The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon contains 3% Merlot. The principal component comes from the Champoux Vineyard (in which the winery is a partner) with contributions from the Klipsun and Taptiel Vineyards, outstanding in their own right. It, too, was aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak. Opaque purple-colored, it has a splendid perfume of violets, wood smoke, truffle, Asian spices, black cherry, and black currant preserves. Opulent and mouth-coating, the layers of complex flavors nearly hide enough tannin to support 8-10 years of additional cellaring. The oak, tannin, and acidity are beautifully integrated and the lengthy finish lasts for well over a minute. Purchasers no doubt will want to try a bottle immediately but this towering effort will not reach its peak until 2015 at the earliest and provide pleasure through 2040. I say this with confidence because a 1983 Quilceda Creek Cabernet tasted in May 2008 is at its peak now and should carry on for another 10-15 years." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=39199 95 points Parker's WA: 'The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with 19% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Carmenere. Purple-colored, it exhibits a complex nose of smoke, vanilla, pencil lead, olives, licorice, black currants, and blackberry which soars from the glass. Sweet and ripe on the palate, with layers of dark fruit flavors, the wine?s oak, tannin, and acidity are beautifully integrated. The finish lasts for 50+ seconds. Give this Cabernet another 5-7 years in the cellar and drink it through 2035." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=39203 94 points Parker: "The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, all from their old vineyards in Calistoga. This is a dense, ruby/purple-tinged wine with full body, and despite the softness of the general vintage, Montelena has plenty of structure. Like nearly every vintage of their top Cabernet Sauvignon, it will last for 25 or more years. The wine has sweet tannin in a broad, flavorful, concentrated style with plenty of black currant, licorice, and spice. The wine is beautifully textured, slightly more forward than most Montelena Cabernets tend to be. It is another beauty from probably the most consistent winery for Cabernet Sauvignon over the last three decades." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=38565 95 points Parker: "The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, one of the most powerful Cabernets the Barretts have made, is reminiscent of the profound 1987. A blend of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc, it tips the scales at 14.3% alcohol. The wine has a sensational nose of sweet creme de cassis liqueur intermixed with notes of beef blood, licorice, and underbrush. Full-bodied and more flamboyant than the more structured, muscular 2001, the 2002 is fleshier with more glycerin and higher alcohol. This chewy effort should be ready for prime-time drinking a few years ahead of the more rigid 2001. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=31726 96 points Parker: "The top wine here is the classic 2003 Claret, a gorgeously proportioned, opaque purple-colored effort boasting a big, sweet nose of smoky meats, creme de cassis, coffee, and dark plums. Dense and opulent, with superb concentration, full body, high glycerin, decent acidity, and ripe tannin, this a superb mouthful of wine that can be approached now or cellared for 12-15 years." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=33581 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=38654 98 points Parker: 'The 2004 Harlan Estate is probably the most precocious and accessible Harlan Estate that this perfectionist team has made. Already compelling, the wine has notes of roasted coffee, charcoal, blackberry, spring flowers, and some background sweet, toasty notes. Dense, fleshy, exuberant, even flamboyant by the standards of Bill Harlan, this wine exhibits no jaggedness or rough edges, has relatively high tannins, but they melt away on the palate. The wine is sensationally well-endowed, long, and rich ? a tour de force in winemaking. They can do no wrong at Harlan, and it is obvious, even in the most challenging vintages such as 1998, that this estate is a true grand cru/first growth, making wines of irrefutable world-class quality. Of course, none of this comes cheap, as the price is now moving up into the league with Screaming Eagle, but there are no shortage of takers." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=38615 90 points Parker: "The outstanding 2002 Caravina (1600 cases) reveals sweet tannin along with big, full-throttle, dense, black currant, loamy soil, chocolate, and vanilla flavors. Full-bodied, rich, and impressive, this is no ordinary second wine. Drink it over the next 10-14 years." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=33067 94 points Parker: "The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, all from their old vineyards in Calistoga. This is a dense, ruby/purple-tinged wine with full body, and despite the softness of the general vintage, Montelena has plenty of structure. Like nearly every vintage of their top Cabernet Sauvignon, it will last for 25 or more years. The wine has sweet tannin in a broad, flavorful, concentrated style with plenty of black currant, licorice, and spice. The wine is beautifully textured, slightly more forward than most Montelena Cabernets tend to be. It is another beauty from probably the most consistent winery for Cabernet Sauvignon over the last three decades." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=38566 90 points Tanzer: "Good deep ruby-red. Aromas of cassis, dark chocolate, tobacco, mocha and menthol. Nicely concentrated and sweet, with varietally accurate flavors of cherry, licorice, graphite and tobacco leaf. Plush and creamy yet holds its shape nicely. Finishes with building but essentially soft tannins. This rather elegantly styled cabernet grew sweeter with time in the recorked bottle. A lovely expression of Stags Leap cabernet. " http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=28360 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=36998 92 points Parker: "The 1991 Insignia is a powerful, backward, full-bodied wine with considerable aging potential. A saturated black/purple color suggests high extraction of flavor as well as youthfulness. The restrained, spicy, herb, cassis, and vanilla-scented nose is followed by rich, intense, tannic, lingering flavors that coat the palate. Give this broodingly large-scaled wine 5-7 years of cellaring and drink it between 2000-2020." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=C1240 Commemorative Stamp on Label http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=AL039 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=29490 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=29788 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=CE132 96 points Parker: "The formidable 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon 13th Anniversary Release may be the finest Cabernet Sauvignon Joan and Bill Smith have yet made. It boasts an opaque purple color, followed by a smoky, toasty, mineral, and cassis-scented nose, great persistence in the mouth, massive body, and an expansive, chewy, blockbuster finish, without coming across as excessively heavy or overweight. Give it 5-6 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 20-25 years. It is a Cabernet legend in the making!" http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=RE856 99 points Parker: "The 1994 Maya is prodigious. The color is saturated opaque purple. The wine offers up restrained but gorgeously sweet earth, oak, mineral, and black fruit aromas. Full-bodied, with substantial quantities of glycerin and extract, this wine's large-scaled tannin seems to be well-submerged beneath the wine's fabulous layers of fruit. Although more accessible than I would have thought prior to bottling, it is a candidate for 20-30 years of evolution." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=CE163 97 pts. Parker: "Amazingly, the 1995 Insignia may be better (than the 1994)--as hard as that is to believe. The final blend is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot. The 1995 exhibits a character similar to the 1994--cassis, fruitcake, cedar, herbs, coffee, and black fruits intermixed with smoke--but the 1995 is slightly longer in the mouth. It is a wine of extraordinary extraction, full body, and marvelously pure fruit. Moreover, it has manages to soak up the 100% new oak aging, leaving only subtle pain grille notes. The tannin may be slightly more noticeable in the 1994, but my instincts suggest the 1995 is even richer and longer than the 1994--as amaing as that sounds. This prodigious Insignia should be at its best over the next 20-25 years." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=10569 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=13882 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=38998 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=39001 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=19209 90 points Wine Spectator: "Ripe, intense and concentrated, with a burst of blackberry, violet and black cherry flavors framed by supple tannins and nicely integrated mocha oak tones that extend through a lingering finish. Drink now through 2007. 160 cases made." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=23741 90 points Tanzer: "Good deep ruby-red. Aromas of cassis, dark chocolate, tobacco, mocha and menthol. Nicely concentrated and sweet, with varietally accurate flavors of cherry, licorice, graphite and tobacco leaf. Plush and creamy yet holds its shape nicely. Finishes with building but essentially soft tannins. This rather elegantly styled cabernet grew sweeter with time in the recorked bottle. A lovely expression of Stags Leap cabernet. " http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=28361 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=32320 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=29221 91 points Tanzer: "Saturated ruby-red. Roasted plum, mocha and chocolate liqueur on the inviting nose. Sweet and lush in the mouth, with very ripe, mellow flavors of currant, cherry, tar and melting chocolate. This has the fat of a topnotch merlot. Long finish features substantial but thoroughly sweet tannins." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=30758 91 points Tanzer: "Saturated ruby-red. Roasted plum, mocha and chocolate liqueur on the inviting nose. Sweet and lush in the mouth, with very ripe, mellow flavors of currant, cherry, tar and melting chocolate. This has the fat of a topnotch merlot. Long finish features substantial but thoroughly sweet tannins." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=30759 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=29737 88+ points Tanzer: "Bright red-ruby color. Smoky black fruit aromas complicated by notes of tobacco, leather, pepper and gunflint. Dense and sweet but youthful, with pliant flavors of roasted black fruits and smoky oak. Shows a slightly candied character. Finishes with big, sweet, chewy tannins and very good length." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=28330 87 points Wine Spectator: "Marked by intense spicy, minty, cedary notes, this intense and firmly tannic red shows off lots of rich flavors, with black cherry and wild berry, ending with chewy, stemmy, somewhat gritty tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2005 through 2012." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=29963 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=35594 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=35593 87 points Wine Spectator: "A fleshy wine, with smooth cherry, plum and blackberry fruit that's supple and engaging, turning elegant and graceful. Drink now through 2008." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=30803 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=32325 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=32326 89 points Tanzer: "Red-ruby. Aromas of raspberry, menthol, espresso and fresh herbs. A juicy, sappy wine with a light touch, despite the fact that the label says 14.1% alcohol. Essentially in an understated style but offers good creamy depth. Finishes with fine tannins and an herbal nuance." http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=31086 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=39060 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=32637 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=38006 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=37577 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=38177 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=35911 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=38300 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=37948 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=38993 http://www.premiercru.net/premier/shop/WineDetails.do?wineId=38293