2015 CADE Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
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Cade's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is rich, sumptuous and alluring. The purity and intensity of the fruit is striking. Super-ripe red cherry, plum, menthol, licorice and violet are some of the many notes that emerge from the glass. Above all else, the 2015 has quite a bit of detail and nuance for such a big wine. This is an especially fruity, lush style for Howell Mountain, but it works nicely. Time in the glass brings out more red-toned character as well as a floral element that is not evident at first.
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Robert Parker
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Starting with the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon released under the Napa Valley AVA, this blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot and the rest Malbec gives up forward, ripe, incredibly sexy style in its ripe black and blue fruits, violets, and graphite aromas and flavors. Possessing terrific purity of fruit, ripe, polished tannin, and a boatload of sweet fruit, it’s a no-brainer wine that will keep for 15-20 years. Cade Estate Winery was founded by Gavin Newsom, Gordon Getty and John Conover (formerly of PlumpJack) and covers 54 acres on Howell Mountain.
The 2015s, which are somewhat surprisingly already in bottle, include the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate that is an identical blend to the 2014. The wine is dense ruby/purple, plump, juicy and fleshy with plenty of blackberry and cassis fruit. It cuts an even bigger mouth-texture and richness than its older sibling. This is a beauty to drink over the next 12-15 years.
Cade's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is bold, racy and exuberant, with tons of fruit, but also good freshness and supporting tannin, largely because of the tiny yields. It will be interesting to see how things shape up over the next year. Today, this is a promising wine. Interestingly, the 2015 seems to have a bit more energy than the 2014, even though according to winemaker Jeff Owens the numbers are very similar.