Chimney Rock Winery Stags Leap Cab Sauv 2018

Wine Enthusiast 94
Silky red fruit and plum dot the landscape of this powerfully soft and velvety wine. Blended with 23% Merlot and 1% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, it exudes classic structure, integrated oak and floral beauty, finishing on a fig note.-WE

James Suckling 92
Lots of purple fruit with raspberries and blackberries follow through to a medium to full body with chewy tannins and a flavorful finish.-JS

Vinous 91
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is plump, juicy and absolutely delicious. Floral, spice and savory notes add brightness to a core of succulent dark cherry and plum fruit. Fresh and inviting with mid-weight structure, the 2018 has a lot to offer in an easygoing style that will require minimal cellaring.-VM

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 91
A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and notes of baked black cherries, stewed plums and black currant jelly plus touches of garrigue, black olives and Provence herbs. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers lovely poise and expression with plenty of crunchy black fruit and a grainy texture, finishing with a lively lift.-RP

Decanter 90
A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 1% each Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Floral, dusty and herbal on the nose. The palate is energetic and lively with notes of pomegranates, red currants and eucalyptus. Crisp, and linear on the finish. Authentically rooted in a past era of Napa, and accurately represents the grace and subtlety that Stags Leap District is capable of.-DM

A deep red with purple hue. Aromas of black currant and cherry, with hints of mocha, vanilla and floral. Rich and savory with plum and black cherry flavors and hints of dried fig, vanilla, and floral. On the palate this wine is smooth and viscous in the midpalate, full-bodied, and the tannin structure is firm but very polished. Blend: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc.-Winemaker Notes

Situated on the famed Silverado Trail in Napa Valley's renowned Stags Leap District, Chimney Rock is recognized as one of the world's premier fine wine producers. Chimney Rock was established in 1984 with the goal of creating wines that would compete against the best Bordeaux. The estate's location in the Stags Leap District, Napa Valley's smallest and most acclaimed sub-appellation, allows winemaker, Elizabeth Vianna to capture this unique terroir and create wines that rival the most important wines of the world. Chimney Rock is a Terlato Family winery and embodies the family's dedication to producing wines of exceptional quality.-Winery Notes

When the Terlatos first became involved with the estate, they recognized that to make unique wines of exceptional quality, the estate's world-class vineyards would require a winemaking facility of equal caliber. Accordingly, in 2002, they dedicated significant resources toward building a state-of-the-art winery. This new winemaking facility offers our winemaking team the ability to ferment each and every vineyard block separately, while also conducting small-lot experiments to fine-tune and further express the true spirit of the Chimney Rock estate. The accompanying climate-controlled barrel rooms allow for long-term aging of Chimney Rock wines in French oak barrels at the ideal temperature and humidity.

What starts in the vineyard comes to fruition in the winery. Winemaker Elizabeth Vianna is deeply cognizant and intimately familiar with the estate's vineyards and she fully captures the estate's unique terroir through meticulous vineyard management and careful, artistically minimal winemaking principles. This "non-interventionist" style of winemaking allows the winemaker to fully utilize that which this wonderful and unique Stags Leap soil is capable of delivering. The end result offers wines that are pristine and authentic in terms of varietal character, accompanied by a velvety taste in the mouth and astounding softness, balance, and cohesion.