2016 Marciano ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

JD98+ Bottled in September of this year, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate checks in as 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Cabernet Franc brought up in French oak. Its inky purple color is followed by classic notes of blackcurrants, lead pencil shavings, spring flowers, and hints of crushed rock. Deep, seamless, ultra-pure, and incredibly classic on the palate, it’s another brilliant, classic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon from winemaker Morgan Maureze. It’s slightly more reserved than the 2015 (which is to be expected as the vintages are dramatically different) and is going to benefit from 3-5 years of bottle age.

WA97+ Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate has a very classy, forthright nose of warm blackcurrants, preserved plums and wild blueberries with underlying notions of cigar box, graphite, crushed rocks, bouquet garni and espresso. Full-bodied, firm and built like a brick house, it has a solid line of ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness supporting the tightly knit, muscular black fruit, finishing long and earthy. This should age incredibly!
This tiny, ten-acre vineyard has been owned since 2006 by Maurice Marciano, the famous name behind the Guess jeans empire. The property is located in St. Helena, just up in the hills past the Harvest Inn on Highway 29 and across from Hayne vineyard. A lot of revitalization and replanting has taken place since the acquisition, and the efforts are starting to manifest themselves beautifully with this 2016 vintage. With Michel Rolland on board as consultant, this is certainly a label to watch!