2020 BEAULIEU VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON NAPA

83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Charbono, 4% Petite Sirah, 3% Merlot, 2% Touriga Nacional, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec

Tasting Notes: From Calistoga in the north to Carneros in the south, our Beaulieu Vineyard Napa Valley wines reflect this region's diverse terroir with classic varietal character. The 2020 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a dark burgundy, russet-red color with beautiful depth and richness. The bouquet is soft and alluring with aromas of red currant, raspberry, Bing cherry and cassis alongside mulled wine holiday spice notes. The palate is plush and inviting with ripe red berries, cherry compote and raspberry preserves supported by silky voluminous tannins and a mouthcoating texture that provides a lovely weight, finishing round and sumptuous. Darker tones of blackberry, acai berry, and dark plum, come through on the lengthy finish, while more subtle notes of violet, crushed red rose petal, and black pepper spice (a nod to the well-integrated oak) accompany the fresh acidity, finishing dry and pleasing. This is a wine with universal appeal, sure to pair alongside a variety of cuisines, offering the perfect balance, complexity, and elegance that Napa Cabernet offers.

Winemaking: After the grapes were destemmed and crushed, we fermented the must in stainless steel tanks until dry. We then pressed the skins and gently transferred the freshly fermented wine to 60-gallon oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and 18 months of aging. Prior to bottling, we blended several varieties with the Cabernet Sauvignon to add complexity and plushness to the wine’s mid-palate. This also added plenty of finesse to the lingering finish and enhanced the flavor and aroma profile of this beautiful wine.

Vintage: The 2020 season was a warm, dry winter and the rain and cooler weather didn’t arrive until the end of March. While the mild spring season was a great early start, summer brought very cool mornings and very warm days. The white wine harvest started in late August, with the wines showing excellent development in the cellars, reflecting the fine vintage year. While the red wine harvest was smaller yielding, proving to be one of the most challenging in history, our winemakers remained optimistic and very complimentary of the high quality achieved from this unprecedented vintage. The resulting 2020 wines are of very high quality with concentrated flavors and excellent acidity, especially for varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon.

Vineyard: We sourced the majority of the Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley’s Rutherford, Calistoga, and St. Helena appellations. The diverse soils and microclimates, as well as the various clones of Cabernet Sauvignon and cultivation techniques, contributed to this wine’s complex flavor profile. The balance of the blend was grown both in our estate vineyards and other quality vineyards of Napa Valley.