Far Niente Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
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Enthusiast
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Suckling
James -
Wong
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Parker
Robert
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
An elegant perfume of mixed berries, baking spice, dried lavender and thyme open onto a full palate layered with expansive mixed berry, black tea, toasted oak and spice flavors. Focused and fresh, fine grained tannins support the wine throughout, while the finish is silky, long and lifted.
Blend: 93.3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.8% Petit Verdot, 2.3% Cabernet Franc, 0.5% Merlot, 0.1% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This memorable Cabernet Sauvignon has small amounts of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec blended in. Aged 17 months in a majority of new French oak, it unfurls flavors of red fruit, dried herb and clove over a core of youthful tannin and spicy oak. Best from 2028–2038. Cellar Selection.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Including small amounts of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon sports a deep purple color as well as classic Cabernet notes of blackcurrants, new leather, tobacco leaf, flowers, and lead pencil. Beautifully done on the palate and made in a seamless, elegant style, it has a kiss of Pauillac in its nicely integrated acidity, ripe, building tannins, a touch of earthiness, and a great finish. It's not a blockbuster, just seamless and elegant, with a thrilling character. It should keep for 20+ years.
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James Suckling
Black olives, black fruits, blackcurrants, iodine, and oyster shell. Full-bodied and chewy with finesse throughout. Dark earth and blackberry. Complex. Soft, clean and fine. Rich yet feather-like texture. Drinkable but give it three to four years more.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits outstanding and expressive nuances from start to finish. Its palate is at once sleek and penetrating. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers aromas and flavors of black fruit and attractive savory spices in its aromas and flavors. Enjoy it with a well-spiced, rack of lamb. (Tasted: August 25, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Composed of 93.3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.8% Petit Verdot, 2.3% Cabernet Franc, 0.5% Merlot and 0.1% Malbec, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Bottled was aged for 17 months in French oak, 65% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it rolls effortlessly out of the glass with notes of stewed plums, warm cassis and black raspberries with touches of pencil shavings, dried Provence herbs and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a real skip in its step, featuring bright, crunchy black and red fruits and a soft texture, finishing lively.
Other Vintages
2021-
Suckling
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert
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Enthusiast
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Suckling
James -
Wong
Wilfred -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
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Spectator
Wine
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Wong
Wilfred -
Suckling
James
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 wine. 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.