Description
2018 VINE CLIFF NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Vine Cliff Winery Notes: “The 2018 Vine Cliff Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a polished, yet brooding wine, with a deep garnet hue from layers of rich fruit. On the nose, aromatics of black cherry, briar, anise, sweet pipe tobacco, dark chocolate, and brined black olives; intermingle with hints of dried green herbs and sweet oak. On the palate, fine grained tannins give way to a silky and rich texture; balanced with dark black fruits of black cherry and cassis, blackberries, Satsuma plum, black tea, and mint. The wine finishes up with a bright ribbon of red raspberry” .
VINE CLIFF VINEYARD NOTES: “The Oakville Estate vineyard is essentially two different vineyards. The lower blocks are terraced into steep canyon walls layered in volcanic Andesite and Rhyolite rocks. These terrace contours provide complexity from the various orientations that face southeast, south, southwest and west. The upper blocks are planted on the Oakville Bench, a gentle sundrenched slope of red clay loam at 680’ in elevation. The five Cabernet Sauvignon clones planted provide another layer of complexity to our wines, with 38% of the fruit came from the Oakville Bench blocks with the remaining 62% was from the Terraced levels facing North. SOIL: Volcanic origin Boomer gravelly loam ELEVATION: 280’-680’”
Ed’s Notes, “Vine Cliff is Literally located Across the street from Screaming Eagle in Oakville, Napa Valley. If you follow Winemakers – Consulting Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown has over 25 Perfect Ratings of 100 Points. For Production Quantitative Perspective – this Vine Cliff 2018 Cabernet is about a 515 Case production Boutique Wine, and Joseph Phelps Insignia makes about 20,000 cases… This is a very small micro-production 2018 Vintage Napa Valley Cabernet from an esteemed Oakville Cult Wine Neighborhood. If you follow Critical Acclaim, please understand most of them taste hundreds of wines in a daily session… simply tasting an ounce, maybe two ounces… I actually and humbly don’t judge or rate wines until I thoroughly enjoy a bottle or two. (Sipping, Swirling, and the 1st bottle went really fast) Therefore trying to put this into words, is sometimes difficult… although will try with Graphics and Photos, Maps and … awww shit – by the time I do all of that, it’s probably already sold-out. Quite Frankly, There are thousands upon thousands of fans of Vine Cliff for a very good reason my friends. Try a Case, bring out a few bottles with friends, and you will see why every Wine Lover in America and beyond knows and loves Vine Cliff. ” CALIHIWINES 98+ POINTS
PS – Screaming Eagle Winery is gated/guarded and there are no tastings there. Check out some of the Cult wineries and top vineyards in Napa on this Google Map – there’s Opus One, Silver Oak, B Cellars, Tench Vineyards, Gemstone, Groth, and my personal favorite Saddleback Cellars. This tiny region on Earth, terroir, has produced more 100 Point Perfect Cult Wines than any other place on the planet.
From James Suckling, “Aromas of blackberries and blueberries with hints of bark and black mushrooms, following through to a full body with dense, rich tannins and a savory finish.” 93 Points
