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2018 Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon

2018 Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon

Coombsville750ml 14.8

The Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon is the fourth appellation wine to be introduced in our Cabernet series of very small bottlings dedicated to the benchland sub-appellations of Napa Valley. This...

The Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon is the fourth appellation wine to be introduced in our Cabernet series of very small bottlings dedicated to the benchland sub-appellations of Napa Valley. This bottling is the first vintage of the Coombsville Cabernet and celebrates Etude’s long-term relationship with one of the most highly regarded winegrowers in Napa Valley.

  • Alcohol 14%
$155.00
$155.00

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Specifications

  • Vintage: 2018
  • Region: Napa Valley
  • Appelation: Coombsville
  • ABV: 14.8
  • Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasting Notes

This is a showstopper vintage, with loads of ripe, fresh, bold, dark berry fruits on the nose and palate, supported by a big concentration and incredible depth. Layers of blackcurrant, blackberry, black raspberry and dark plum sit alongside wild chaparral notes of lavender, mint, and anise. Beautiful lifted notes of cedar, cinnamon, and sweet rose petal also pique interest, leading to finely textured tannins and a supple mouthfeel, with mouthwatering acidity and a finish that goes on and on. Coming from a cooler appellation within Napa, this Cabernet has intensity and finesse, with a generous structure and focus. Complex and multi-layered, drinking wonderfully now and is sure to age well in years to come, if you can keep your hands off it. Etude was founded with the promise that winemaking begins in the vineyard long before harvest. Superior winegrowing lessens the need for intervention by our winemaker, leading to authentic varietal expression, compelling flavor, and irresistible complexity.

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Expert reviews

97 POINTS

“What great aromas here. Blackberry, blackcurrant, mint, lavender and dark fruit. Full-bodied, yet tight and formed, with fine tannins that spread across the palate and give an silky impression. Flavorful and focused at the end. Give it four to five years to come completely together. Better after 2025.” - James Suckling, December 6 2021

95 POINTS

“All Clone 4 sourced from the Meteor Vineyard, above the country club, Etude's 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville features an array of dark fruit: blackberry, cassis and plum. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, this has a really lovely mouthfeel coupled with a long, vibrant finish.” - Joe Czerwinski, June 2022

The Vineyard

GRACE BENOIST RANCH

Grapes were sourced exclusively from the Meteor Vineyard, situated on gentle rolling hills within the Coombsville appellation in Napa Valley and planted in 1999 to three distinct Cabernet clones, however we only use Clone 4 for this Coombsville selection. The vines are strongly influenced by the cooling effects of the nearby San Pablo Bay, as well as the stony, rich volcanic ash soil, along with the elevation diversity provided by the Vaca mountain range. Meteor Vineyard is carefully looked after by owner Barry Schuler and Vineyard Manager Mike Wolf, which allows the vineyard to proudly be home to some of Napa Valley’s most distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.

Process

The 2018 vintage

  • Napa & Carneros

    A near perfect season was welcomed in 2018 after several tense vintages, beginning with abundant February rains followed by drying sun and weather that allowed for even flowering and bud break. The slightly later start was followed by consistently ideal weather, with harvest for Pinot Noir occurring in late August and early September. Generally normal to heavier fruit-set with great flavor intensity and complexity will be the hallmark of the season.

  • Sonoma Coast

    Hallberg sits in one of the coolest areas of Sonoma County. Cooler temperatures and moderate weather allowed grapes to ripen perfectly, developing deep complexity, intensity, ripeness and balance with a beautiful freshness that came naturally. There was little to no frost during the spring fruit set and no heat spikes throughout the growing season – all of which helped the grapes reach full maturity, with harvest occurring in mid-September. Generally normal to heavier fruit-set with great flavor intensity and complexity will be the hallmark of the season.

  • Willamette Valley

    The Yamhill-Carlton District of Willamette Valley experienced an almost return to normal vintage in 2018. The spring and summer were some of the warmest and driest on record, but with no heat spikes recorded, the season increased in length due to the cool autumn weather. That allowed grapes to hang and develop complex flavors on the vine, while retaining freshness and acidity. The characteristic of the vintage is rich Pinot Noir fruit, with fully developed flavors, and a richness of tannins that gave structure to the wines.

  • Santa Barbara

    What may be considered a ‘classic’ vintage, the wines from 2018 show tremendous intensity and complexity. Santa Barbara County provided a mild to warm summer, with a cooler autumn, allowing the grapes to remain on the vine until they reached ideal maturity. While the quality of the grapes was phenomenal, our overall yields were down slightly due to smaller berry size and clusters. The fruit was harvested in late September, yielding wines with beautifully balanced acidity, exceptional weight and texture, and complex varietal flavors.

Crafted Excellence

Winemaking

The grapes were cold soaked for 3-5 days and fermented on their skins in open top fermenters. An extended maceration period followed fermentation to help modify the depth and mouthfeel of the wine, and to fully extract color, flavor and aromatics. The young wine was then racked into small French oak barrels—using a selection of coopers and forests to accentuate the vineyard distinctions—where it aged for 20 months in 100% French oak (75% new). Each lot was kept separate until final blending. The resulting wine was returned to barrel for an additional nine months of aging.