2013 Sheshan Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Sheshan Cabernet Sauvignon This 2013 wine has a nice, crème de cassis and black raspberry aromatics, medium to full-bodied flavors, good, ripe tannin, a nice textured mouthfeel, excellent purity, richness and length.

Georges III Vineyard is located on Napa Valley’s legendary Rutherford Bench, adjacent to Caymus Winery and bordered by Conn Creek and the Silverado Trail. The estate encompasses the historic Beaulieu Vineyard No. 3, which Beckstoffer Vineyards purchased in 1988, along with four adjacent properties – 300 acres in total.

Historical records show that a portion of the vineyard was planted to grapevines in 1895 by Elizabeth and Thomas Rutherford. The bride’s grandfather, George Yount (for whom the town of Yountville is named), was an early Napa Valley settler who had been granted more than 11,000 acres by the Mexican Commandante of Alta California, General Mariano Vallejo. Yount gifted the newlyweds 1,040 acres to celebrate their nuptials.

The wine is full-bodied, multi-dimensional and stunningly proportioned and rich. This is a big, impressive, rich Cabernet Sauvignon with wonderfully sweet tannins and a juicy, unctuously textured mid-palate and length. An absolutely fabulous wine. It would be difficult to want more in a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon than this. Drink it over the next 25 years.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is the world’s foremost red wine-grape variety. Though widely cultivated throughout the world, it is most commonly associated with the red wines of Bordeaux.

In the vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are small, thick-skinned and decidedly blue-colored, with a high pip-to-pulp ratio. Its thick skin results in wines of profoundly deep color, and the pips add a high level of tannin.

It ripens late, which is advantageous in warmer climates like Bordeaux, France and California. In colder growing environments, Cabernet Sauvignon can easily fail to ripen properly. Unripe Cabernet Sauvignon shows a lot of the aromas similar to unripe Cabernet Franc, notably a green or herbaceous character. This may not be entirely surprising, as Cabernet Sauvignon’s parents are Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.

Cabernet Sauvignon’s flavors can vary from region to another. Cabernet Sauvignon produced in Bordeaux’s Margaux appellation varies considerably from one grown farther north in Pauillac, for example. The best Cabernet Sauvignon wines tend to have deep color, good structure and a full body. They are tannic in youth, especially when aged in oak, and often require a few years to soften before they become enjoyable to drink. Typical flavors may include black fruits like blackcurrant or blackberry, as well as fragrant cigar box, tobacco and coffee.