Loads of big blackberry, currant, blueberry, pomegranate, and fig with cinnamon, cedar and violets. Loads of complexity and structure with a big bold mouthfeel packed with mocha and cherry pie. The tannins are integrated and chewy making this a wine that is delightful now and will easily age a decade.
If you like Cabernet, this is an incredible expression of Napa Cab at a screaming good price.
Aged for 22 months in 75% new French Oak.
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon, Tate Wine
$60.00
Dubbed Spring Street Cab because that is the street the Tate’s live on. This actually is a blend of two vineyards- the Dillon vineyard where the Chardonnay also comes from and the Dr. Lies vineyard in St. Helena. David has made mountain Cabernet for most of his career, both at Ridge and at Barnett, so the prospect of tackling of valley floor Cabernet was an exciting one. There are a slew of ways that mountain and valley fruit differ, not the least of which is soil type and sun exposures. The valley floor has more fertile soils and also sees more direct heat than mountainsides. The presentation in wine flavors is that generally speaking mountain Cabs are bigger and more tannic, while valley floor wines can often be juicier and more approachable.
All that said, David’s winemaking style is more about tannin management, and varying how you treat these different fruit presentations. You can’t treat the fruit the same or you will produce unbalanced wine. As a lover and master of Cabernet Sauvignon, David listens to the fruit and responds in kind, producing layers of power, elegance and refinement in his Cabernet Sauvignons.