2012 Dana Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Deep garnet colored, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard has a profoundly scented nose of baked cherries, mulberries with touches of smoked meats, mocha and fertile loam. Medium to full-bodied, it has a firm structure of chewy tannins and great freshness, finishing long and earthy/minerally.
Critic scores
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard has developed into a round, sumptuous Howell Mountain wine with the soft contours and exceptional overall balance. Iron, sweet red cherry, plum, smoke and licorice meld together in an open-knit yet structured Cabernet Sauvignon with tons of sheer appeal. The exotic, savory/mineral bouquet is pure Howell, but there is also a softness to the 2012 that makes it incredibly appealing, even today. A final kick of Howell Mountain tannin lingers on the close. As always, the Hershey is the most vivid and structured of the Dana Cabernets.
Graphite, smoke, dark spices, gravel and blue/purplish fruit emerge from the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard, Dana's Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. The flavors are wonderfully vibrant and alive in the glass. A host of spice, menthol, pine and crushed rocks add nuance on the powerful, driving finish. The 2012 Hershey is shaping up to be gorgeous. Tasted from barrel in October 2014, it appears to have a very bright future. This is the first year the See Clone has entered the blend.
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard is thrilling from the very first taste. The mountain characteristics and the qualities of this site come through in spades, but the 2012 has a level of pure voluptuousness that is a marvel to behold. Rich, powerful and totally alive in the glass, the 2012 is going to be an absolute joy to follow over the next two decades. Dark raspberries, blueberries, wild flowers, mint and graphite all linger on the powerful close. This is an unusually deep, polished young Howell Mountain Cabernet. The 2012 Hershey was fermented entirely in oak barrels.
About the producer
Located on the Rutherford bench, Dana Estates is a small Napa estate focused on producing fine, single-site Cabernet Sauvignon. The concentrated wines are some of the region’s most sought-after, regularly earning top ratings from critics – with 19 100-point scores to date.