Buehler Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 2018 USA

Our 2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted from Cabernet Sauvignon grown on our estate hillside vineyards (30%) in conjunction with grapes from other mature, high-quality, low-yielding Napa Valley vineyards located on the valley floor. Comprised of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the blend produces a wine that displays a broad spectrum of aromas, flavors, and textures that Cabernet can show in the Napa Valley.

The 2017 Napa Valley growing season began with record-setting amounts of rain through early April. Growers were challenged by the resulting vine vigor; what initially appeared to be a larger than average crop was tempered by subsequent weather in June. Foggy mornings combined with several heat spikes made for smaller clusters and so our crop ended up a little below average in terms of quantity in the end. Very high temperature the last week of August ensured that picking was under way by the second week of September. Temperatures then moderated and we able to complete the harvest at a more even-paced tempo. Fortunately, the catastrophic fires that began October 8 did not impact our wines; careful screening of the grapes and our resulting wines through their aging in barrels showed no detrimental effects from the fires.
Following a seven-day fermentation, the wine was transferred to barrels before initiating the malolactic fermentation; keeping the wine “dirty” when young greatly increases the impression of roundness and smoothness in the finished wine. The 2017 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was racked four times in the first year of aging to encourage aromatic and tannin development. It was aged a total of 18 months in a blend of French and American oak barrels.

The wine is brimming with fruit aromas and flavors biased to the black fruit end of the Cabernet spectrum: plums, blackberry, and black currant. Rich and full-bodied on the palate, this Cabernet drinks well on release but will soften and develop with additional age. For those who seek youthful fresh Cabernet fruit aromas and a more structured wine, drink it from 2019 through 2023. If you prefer the less fruity, more developed bottle bouquet aromas and a softer, more velvety wine on the palate, drink it from 2024-2034.

ABV: 14.7
Vol: 700ml
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon