Nose
The 2014 Emblem Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon exudes aromas of freshly muddled boysenberries, warm vanilla bean and toasty cardamom.
Palate
Rich cassis and blackberry cobbler flavors, adding subtle nuances of torched
crème brûlée. rich cassis and blackberry cobbler flavors, adding subtle nuances of torched
crème brûlée. Through numerous barrel tastings and blending trials, a final
blend that includes Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Petit Verdot helps
make this wine accessible today for immediate drinking while still
maintaining the Cabernet structure for extended cellaring.
Growing Conditions
The grapes for Emblem Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon come from Napa
Valley’s finest winegrowing regions to create a blend that truly represents
the entirety of Napa Valley. Fruit from hillside vineyards at the family’s Oso
Vineyard estate in northeast Napa were blended with valley floor fruit from
Oakville, Rutherford, and Wooden Valley. By blending fruit from Napa’s
volcanic hillside soils and the deeper alluvial soils of the valley floor, the
Michael Mondavi family crafts a wine that boasts a beautifully rounded
mouthfeel and layers of rich, complex flavors.
A nearly perfect Napa Valley growing season and harvest provided an
abundance of quality grapes in 2013. From spring bud break, through
flowering, fruit set, and ripening, conditions were ideal. A consistent
stretch of warm summer weather, without large heat spikes and with plenty
of cool and foggy nights, ripened grapes to perfection.
Winemaking
After the grapes were gently hand-harvested, de-stemmed and crushed, the
juice fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with an
extended post-fermentation maceration that beautifully married flavors and
tannins, giving our Emblem Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon its lovely,
seamless texture. Malolactic fermentation in barrel.
Aging
18
months aging in French oak (66% new).
