Freemark Abbey 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Back in 1976 Freemark Abbey Cabernet was one of the winning wines in the famous Judgment in Paris Tasting. It's been a Napa Valley staple for decades and today Freemark Abbey is owned by the Jess Jackson family and has a renewed focus and vitality. Robert Parker just wrote "Freemark Abbey has hit pay dirt big-time, with plenty of terrific offerings that are being released now and early in 2016. Winemaker Ted Edwards seems to go from strength to strength and readers looking for top-flight Napa wines priced under $50.00 need to check out several of these immediately, as I'm sure they'll be huge crowd-pleasers." This 2015 is 75.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.9% Merlot, 7.3 % Petit Verdot, 6.1% Cabernet Franc and 1.6% Malbec. The grapes were sourced from the Oakville Reach Vineyard, Calistoga Pecota Vineyard, Bosché Vineyard, Stagecoach Vineyard, Sycamore Vineyard and several other prime vineyards in Napa Valley. The wine was aged in 88% French oak, 33.4% new and 12% American oak, 1% new.


The Wine Advocate scored this 2015 94 points saying "A blend of 75.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9.9% Merlot, 7.3% Petit Verdot, 6.1% Cabernet Franc and 1.6% Malbec, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is deep garnet-purple colored and reveals open-knit, expressive cassis and baked plums scents with hints of pencil shavings, menthol, dark chocolate and damp soil plus a waft of unsmoked cigars. Full-bodied, concentrated and giving mouth-filling black fruits and savory layers, it finishes with a provocative grainy texture."