Region: Napa Valley, California

Vintage: 2018

Composition: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot

History: Cardinale, located in the world renowned Napa Valley, makes only one wine from each vintage. The wine is a limited production Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Napa Valley’s most famous mountain appellations, including Diamond Mountain, Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder and Spring Mountain. Each esteemed mountain vineyard offers a beautiful note, but the composition they create together is a remarkable symphony of flavor, texture, and complexity.

Tasting Notes:

With each vintage I strive to find the balance points in an artist’s palette of appellations and vineyards and the flavor that defines them. This is the promise of Cardinale, a wine that offers a unique signature and expression that is defined and driven by the vintage rather than a singular vineyard. Despite past experiences with each of these vineyard sites year after year, I never know the final set of vineyards that will ultimately make up the blend that is Cardinale until all is said and done. That is the hedonistic pleasure, creative expression, and joy of discovery that I hope to share with the Cardinale drinker. The 2018 is a blend of blackberry, dark cherry, tart blueberry, mocha, slate, graphite, and toasted vanilla.