2020 Eisele Vineyard ‘Altagracia’ Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

WA92-94 The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Altagracia was tasted as a finished blend barrel sample. Deep purple-black in color, it has a fragrant nose of potpourri and Indian spices over a core of kirsch, warm cassis and plum preserves, plus a waft of camphor. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully juicy and perfumed, with alluring elegance and freshness, finishing long.
JancisRobinson 17.5+/20 : Savoury, earthy aromas of crushed rocks and gunmetal with a backdrop of dark fruits and floral accents, followed by flavours of violet, black fruits and graphite. The overall character is both darker and more floral than the 2019. Palate-cleansing tannins are very fine grained, with the wine offering a greater focus on acidity compared with the very even balance of the 2019 vintage. Tactile and satisfying. The fruit presence will likely gain with more time in bottle but, even so, this is also a more mineral-focused, slightly leaner vintage. Made from the eastern blocks of the Eisele Vineyard estate, an area of the property outside the alluvial fan, that is instead a heterogenous collection of more volcanic colluvial parent material and clay.
Estate Notes: The Eisele Vineyard character continues to show more evidently every year in the Altagracia blend, expressing the singular quality of the estate-grown fruit from our Eastern parcels. Very fragrant and expressive, the 2020 Altagracia unveils a floral nose with dried rose petals intertwined with wild strawberries, red currant, cranberry, and a hint of pink pepper and santal. The mouthfeel is round and silky with subtle flavors of black tea, cinnamon, orange peel and cocoa. The texture of tight-knit tannins coating the palate, leads to a long aniseed finish. This delicious and vibrant Altagracia displays a smiling personality that offers a strong and elegant response to the difficulties of the year. 96% Cabernet Sauvignon 4% Petit Verdot. 1250 cases made.