Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Altagracia 2016
97 Points
Classic

Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Altagracia 2016

This is a monumental effort that displays concentrated dark fruit flavors, truffle, tobacco, and graphite. Intense and rich on the palate, luxurious velvet tannins give way to notes of black cherry, plum, espresso, dried savory herbs and cocoa. Exceedingly complex and expensive tasting for the price-point, the 2016 Altagracia showcases the Eisele terroir in an an awe-inspiring vintage. Enjoy now (decanting recommended prior to 2021) through 2027. – September 2023

Eisele Vineyard Winery

First planted to vines in the 1880s, Eisele Vineyard sits in the northeast Napa Valley,
just east of Calistoga at the base of the Palisades Mountain range. Farmed organically
since 1998 and biodynamically since 2000, the site has been principally dedicated to
Cabernet Sauvignon for the last fifty years. Beginning with the inaugural release bearing
the Eisele name in 1971, this iconic vineyard has received consistent recognition for
possessing one of the great terroirs of Napa Valley. The wines invariably express the
exceptional depth, elegance and longevity which are hallmarks of the Eisele Vineyard.
Since 1971, some of California's most age worthy and intensely flavored Cabernet
Sauvignons have been made from grapes grown at the Eisele Vineyard. Joseph Phelps
famously released an Eisele Vineyard Cabernet prior to their celebrated Insignia bottling
became a collector favorite. In 1990, Daphne and Bart Araujo launched their eponymous
wine, now recognized as one of the original five ‘Cult’ Cabernets in Napa Valley. For the
following two decades, they meticulously stewarded the property's potential, bringing it
to the status of California “First Growth”. In 2013, this historic vineyard was acquired by
the Pinault family and Groupe Artemis, owners of Chateau Latour in Bordeaux, arguably
the most renowned winery in the World.

The new ownership has brought their centuries of expertise from Bordeaux and has
implemented new techniques to continue the world class quality. The production of the
Eisele Estate Cabernet has been dramatically reduced so that the ultimate bottlings only
include the best of the best rows from this historic vineyard. The initial results have
been favorably received by collectors and critics alike, garnering Eisele Estate two
“Perfect 100” point ratings (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate) for the first vintages fully
managed by the Artemis team.

The Wine

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Cellar Notes

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