Gandona Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
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Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator
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Winemaker Notes
Vibrant and inky dark, the 2017 Gandona is densely packed with rich and expressive notes of blackberries and cream, violets, red licorice and saddle leather. It is substantial and expansive in structure, opening far and wide across the palate, building gently but firmly. Supple and mouth-coating tannins merge seamlessly with detailed layers of cocoa nib, black cherries, candied orange peel and baking spices. As the wine progresses, the more sanguine qualities of crushed rock and graphite typical of this mountain site emerge beneath the fruit, intensifying and furthering the miles-long finish.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) fermented in concrete tanks and aged 20 months in 66.5% new French oak. Deep purple-black in color, it features intense, pure cassis, warm blackberries and black cherries notes with hints of camphor, tobacco leaf and yeast extract plus touches of tilled soil and bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers impressive weight and intensity with beautifully ripe, fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long with a minty lift.
Rating: 94+ -
Jeb Dunnuck
All Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Gandona is a solid step up in density and complexity, offering rocking notes of blackcurrants, asphalt, dark chocolate, and spicy aromas and flavors. With medium to full body, a beautiful mid-palate, and a great finish, it's a terrific, satisfying, ageworthy 2017.
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Wine Spectator
Shows a toasty overlay atop warmed cassis and steeped plum fruit, with the toast draping over the finish too. There's a tarry undertow and a toothy edge throughout. A red built on gusto, for fans of the style.
Other Vintages
2015-
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
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Wine
Spectator
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Robert
Parker
Reclaimed wood and other repurposed materials were used in several areas of the winery, like the winery’s interior oak doors made from trees harvested from the vintner's former home in Connecticut. The boulders and rocks excavated from the cave were used to create the winery’s exterior wall, and the bathroom sink was chiseled from a large boulder excavated from deep inside the hill. The property’s old redwood water storage tank was dismantled and transformed into beautiful doors for the winery and cave.
Grapes arrive to the winery immediately after picking to be vinified in small lots. The winemaking team first hand-sorts individual clusters, selecting the finest for crushing and de-stemming. Then, individual berries are sorted, removing those with imperfections. The remaining grapes are transferred to concrete tanks for fermentation by a bin/gravity flow process. Once fermentation is complete, the wine is pressed and placed in French oak barrels for aging in Gandona Estate’s cave.
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.