2012 | Lail Vineyards | J. Daniel Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon

It shows what’s so compelling about the 2012 vintage and has an incredible bouquet of crème de cassis, kirsch, sweet earth, cedarwood, and exotic spices that just jumps out of the glass. This flows to a powerful, full-bodied, sexy Cabernet that has tons of fruit and texture, ripe, framing tannins, and a monster finish, all while staying weightless, silky, and flawlessly balanced.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: Absolutely perfect and one of the monumental wines of my long tasting trip in Napa is the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvee. I didn’t see this from barrel last year. Aged 20 months in 75% new French oak and representing 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from three vineyard sources: one in Calistoga, one in Oakville and one in Howell Mountain. Robin Lail and winemaker Philippe Melka hit pay dirt with a wine that has an inky purple color, an almost amazing bouquet that reminded me of 1989 Chateau Montrose when it was young. Sweet almost truffle-infused earth, graphite, forest floor, blackcurrant and black cherry notes are followed by a full-bodied wine with a hint of mocha and licorice. Superb purity, an incremental, yet full-bodied mouthfeel, and an extravagant, layered texture and finish make for the finest wine Robin Lail has produced to date at her winery.

• James Suckling: A firm, dark and deep wine that shows freshness and edge for a 2012. Full-bodied, solid and savory. Cool tannins. Forest floor and sweet tobacco. Holding on beautifully. Flavorful finish.

Producer Information

Lail Vineyards is a Napa Valley wine producer, founded by Robin Lail in 1995. It makes wines from two vineyards in Howell Mountain and Yountville, most famously from the classic Napa variety Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate was founded in 1995 by Robin Lail, whose father, John Daniel Jr, had been the proprietor of the famous Inglenook estate in Rutherford. During the 1970s and 1980s, Lail help co-found both Dominus Estate and Merryvale Vineyards, before setting up her eponymous label. The Mole Hill estate vineyard in Howell Mountain covers 1.2 hectares (3 acres). Here, a west-facing aspect combined with loam soils and an elevation of 1700 feet (520m) above sea level forms ideal terroir for viticulture. Cabernet Sauvignon from this vineyard form the basis of the estate's flagship J. Daniel Cuvée wine ? named for John Daniel Jr. Grapes for this cuveé are also sourced from Calistoga and the Stags Leap District. It spends 20 months aging in French oak barrels prior to bottling, the portion of which is new depends on the vintage. The Totem vineyard in Yountville is the other estate vineyard of the company, located on a section of the inaugural Inglenook vineyard in northern Yountville. It covers a single hectare (2.5 acres) and is planted to Sauvignon Blanc, providing the grapes for the Georgia Sauvignon Blanc, named after Robin Lail's granddaughter. This wine is fermented and aged for 18 months in new French oak. On top of these wines, Lail Vineyards has a more value-driven range called Blueprint, consisting of a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Sauvignon Blanc. Grapes for these are sourced from vineyards around Napa Valley.

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