2013 Grace Family Vineyard Cabernet Blank Vineyard

2013 Grace Family Vineyard Cabernet Blank Vineyard

2013 Grace Family Vineyard Cabernet Blank Vineyard, From Napa Valley,California.

97 points James Suckling

So perfumed and beautiful in the nose with spearmint, blueberry, and blackberry aromas. Full-bodied yet reserved and refined. Very linear and tight yet gorgeous and long. Compressed mouthfeel. Wonderful minerality with a flinty undertone. A young cab with great length and excitement. Needs at least five or six years to open. Wonderful potential.

One of the most prestigious wines of the world capable of great power and grace, Napa Valley Cabernet is a leading force in the world of fine, famous, collectible red wines. Today the Napa Valley and Cabernet Sauvignon are so intrinsically linked that it is difficult to discuss one without the other. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that this marriage came to light; sudden international recognition rained upon Napa with the victory of the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris.

Cabernet Sauvignon undoubtedly dominates Napa Valley today, covering half of the land under vine, commanding the highest prices per ton and earning the most critical acclaim. Cabernet Sauvignon’s structure, acidity, capacity to thrive in multiple environs and ability to express nuances of vintage make it perfect for Napa Valley where incredible soil and geographical diversity are found and the climate is perfect for grape growing. Within the Napa Valley lie many smaller sub-AVAs that express specific characteristics based on situation, slope and soil—as a perfect example, Rutherford’s famous dust or Stags Leap District’s tart cherry flavors.

Grace Family Vineyards was planted with cuttings from the famed Bosché vineyard and first harvested in 1978. Those first grapes were handpicked by family and friends and taken to Caymus Winery in the back of a station wagon. This Napa Valley vineyard sure has come a long way over the past 30 years, but their wines still have that personal, family touch.