Exuberant and rich, the 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet exhibits nuanced dark, brooding fruits of blackberry, black cherry and black raspberry. A light, fresh acidity highlights undertones of fine structure and complexity. A quintessential depiction of Napa Valley Cabernet, this vintage shepherds in a solid depth, complete with a weighty and elegant finish.
Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon |
---|---|
Vintage | 2014 |
Appellation | Napa Valley |
Blend | 100% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Oak Treatment | 100% French oak barrels for 20 months |
Alcohol % | 14.4% |
Enclosure Type | Cork |
Drinking Window | 10-15 years |
"The deep garnet-purple colored, the 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is intense, expressive and open for business with exuberant blackberry and blueberry notes plus hints of cedar, dried herbs, violets, pencil shavings and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a soft, rich decadence about it, with nice smooth tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with satisfying toasty notes." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, October 2017
"This is very linear and tight with a focused and deep fruit character that is buttressed by the fine tannins. Full body, intense and powerful. Serious. Needs a year or two to soften." - James Suckling, December 2017
Etude’s philosophy remains steadfast and this Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was crafted with very minimal winemaking intervention. 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 11 months. In order to maintain the unique characteristics of each vineyard, each block and lot was kept separate until this point when the assemblage was blended. The resulting wine was returned to barrel for an additional 9 months of aging.
For more than a decade Jon has fashioned Etude wines with a simple creed. Inspired winegrowing diminishes the need for a winemaker to intervene in the cellar. Whether sourcing from the estate Grace Benoist Ranch in Sonoma's Los Carneros, or vineyards like Fiddlestix and North Canyon in famed growing regions of California's Central Coast, his focus is on coaxing the very best from the vineyard. It shows in every glass of Etude.
Despite drought conditions, the 2014 vintage proved to be ideal, with excellent quality reminiscent of 2012 and 2013. The winter was one of the driest on record in California, but substantial rains in early spring were timely and set up the vines for a strong start. Summer temperatures were milder than expected with no extremes, and after early budbreak and veraison, harvest was unusually early in 2014.
The Etude Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is handcrafted with grapes from unique benchland vineyards representing the major sub-appellations of Napa Valley. The 2016 Cabernet was sourced with fruit from some of the most highly regarded winegrowers in Napa Valley — Vine Hill Ranch in Oakville, Morisoli Vineyards in Rutherford and Meteor Vineyard in Coombsville. By deliberately sourcing fruit from this group of exemplary vineyards, this wine exhibits the full potential of Cabernet fruit flavors and textures with vitality and finesse.
To create a better experience for you across all of our brands, we’ll check this info with accounts across the Treasury Wine Estates Portfolio of brands: Beringer, Beaulieu Vineyard, Etude, Hewitt Vineyard, Stags' Leap Winery, Sterling Vineyards, Penfolds, and The Wine Shop.
Success! An email has been sent to your inbox with a link to reset your password