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2015 Cabernet Sauvignon

2015 Cabernet Sauvignon
96 Points Robert Parker

On July 14, 2017, after two entire days of master blending, vintner Ralph was quoted as saying: "This 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is as if Chateau Mouton-Rothschild and Chateau Montrose had a baby, but with the opulence of Napa Valley style!" This Cabernet Sauvignon has a wonderfully playful symbiotic relationship between Mayacama valley floor character and Vaca mountainous structure, culminating in more complex character and refined elegance than the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon. Some notable aromas on the bouquet include fresh roasted coffee, blackcurrant, crème de cassis, luxardo cherries, perfume, fresh violet petals, dark cherry liqueur, and hints of forest floor, sage, freshly cut cedar chips, with an intriguing musky nuance. Upon entering the palate, oodles of dark fruit, blackcurrant, cassis, fresh rose petals, water chestnuts, and subtle hints of licorice expand into a luscious, long-lasting espresso crème brûlée finish. The mesmerizing complexities between the balanced, full-body character interlaced with the structured yet velvety tannins may cause frisson with certain individuals. Proceed with delight!

Mother Nature in 2015 was not very nice to us, but evidently, this was a blessing in disguise. We experienced another drought year, shatter in the spring, and a heat wave with temperatures over 100° late in the season. Even with the atypical growing period, 2015 was yet another epic Napa Valley vintage where the stars aligned for us. Although we lost approximately 35% of our total yield due to shatter, the final fruit quality was SUPERB - and has created the best wine we have ever made! After waiting three years on a wait list, in 2015 we were also very fortunate to obtain First Growth fruit out of Oakville (adjacent to a very famous, iconic Napa Valley winery who charges $1000+ per bottle) to blend together with our ultra premium Howell Mountain, Atlas Peak, Pritchard Hill, and Silverado Bench fruit. We barrel-aged all five Bordeaux varietals in 90% new French and Hungarian oak for 23-months, adding elegant, balanced structure without overpowering the essence of the unique terroir. Furthermore, in 2015, we hired Andrew Opatz as our vineyard manager for our Rockwell Ridge estate vineyard on Howell Mountain and he immediately got to work improving the vineyard.

Varietal Composition: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Franc & 3% Merlot
706 Cases Produced

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Wine Specs
Vintage
2015
Varietal
Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Napa Valley
Harvest Date
10/14/2015
Aging
23 months - 90% new French and Hungarian Oak
Alcohol %
14.70
Robert Parker
96
Wine Advocate
96
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
"Hertelendy's inky purple-black colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon has a lifted blackberry and cassis nose with nuances of cedar, tobacco and bouquet garni plus scents of chargrilled meat and truffles. Medium to full-bodied, with good concentration in the mouth and firm, fine-grained tannins, it's expressive and youthful with a long finish." — Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Robert Parker Wine Advocate, 96 Points
Ratings
"The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is also inky purple in color and offers a high-class bouquet of crème de cassis, vanilla bean, white flowers, blueberries and incense. It's full-bodied, deep, multi-dimensional and elegant on the palate, with fine, fine tannin and awesome purity of fruit." — Jeb Dunnuck, 96 Points
Awards
Gold Winner at TEXSOM (arguably the most prestigious wine competition in the world judged by Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine). Gold Winner at Sunset International Wine Competition.
Production
"Put this bottle on the table next to most reds and it’s like sending Shaquille O’Neal into a middle-school basketball game."—Ian Cauble, Master Sommelier (from the hit movie series Somm)
Other Notes
"The 2015 Hertelendy Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from multiple vineyards including Howell Mountain, Atlas Peak, Pritchard Hill, and Silverado Bench fruit and the first vintage to include the Oakville fruit which they have been on a waiting list to obtain for 3 years. The wine itself is absolutely fantastic, as it displays a dark, inky color, with aromas of fresh ripe blackberries and dark currants that come together with spices, fresh violets, loam, hints of wild herbs and dark chocolate all taking shape. Full-bodied with a gorgeous rich, opulent texture, supported by muscular, yet beautifully polished tannins. Deep and concentrated, with layer upon layer of ripe dark fruits, spices and mocha nuances which envelope the palate. It continues to impress all the way through the multidimensional finish, where everything comes together seamlessly with remarkable length. A hedonistic wine, which is simply delicious now, yet should continue to provide many years of pleasure. An absolutely amazing effort from Ralph Hertelendy and Phillip Corallo-Titus on this outstanding wine." — International Wine Report, 96 Points