2006 Lail Cabernet Sauvignon Blueprint

Another new offering is the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Blueprint, which is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot aged in 50% new oak. It is meant to be a reasonably good value by the standards of Napa Valley Cabernet, and it fulfills that task admirably. The deep ruby/purple hue is accompanied by notes of chocolate, black currants, earth, and spice. Medium to full-bodied and soft, it is ideal for drinking over the next decade. Robin Lail, one of the top women of the Napa wine scene, is also the daughter of the legendary John Daniel, who did so much to raise the image of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Lail and her winemaker, Philippe Melka, were among the first to recognize the potential of a Bordeaux-styled, barrel-fermented and aged Sauvignon Blanc. Aged 18 months in French wood, this Sauvignon is totally different from the overtly fruity styles so prevalent elsewhere. Lail’s Sauvignon is a serious effort with the texture of a white Burgundy and the aromas of a white Bordeaux. In both 2006 and 2007, the flagship wine, the J. Daniel Cuvee, is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, from the estate’s own vineyard on Howell Mountain as well as purchased fruit, usually from the Vine Hill Vineyard in Yountville. Production in both vintages is just under 1,000 cases. Tel. (707) 968-9900; Fax (707) 968-9911