2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Aida Estate

Good deep ruby. Superripe aromas of cassis, licorice and dark chocolate, plus a hint of tobacco leaf. Lush, sweet and showy, in a full, rather soft style, offering flavors of dark fruits, graphite and crushed rock. Winemaker Philippe Melka describes this rocky site as the Chateauneuf du Pape of the Napa Valley, noting that these vines are picked two or three weeks earlier than the vineyard next to the winery, barely two miles farther south, on the west side of Highway 29 between St. Helena and Calistoga.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Aida Estate offers up tar, smoke, minerals, licorice and blackberry jam. Mocha, grilled herbs and spices emerge later, adding considerable complexity and nuance. All the aromas and flavors meld together nicely through to the focused finish. This overt, generous Cabernet should drink well for the next decade or so. The 2009 is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot.

The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Aida Estate offers up tar, smoke, minerals, licorice and blackberry jam. Mocha, grilled herbs and spices emerge later, adding considerable complexity and nuance. All the aromas and flavors meld together nicely through to the focused finish. This overt, generous Cabernet should drink well for the next decade or so. The 2009 is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2021. Tel. (707) 963-9292; Fax (707) 963-7848