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: 2012 Far Niente Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

2012 Far Niente Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

SKU #1173772 96 points Decanter

Outer quote mark The justly admired Oakville winery has been a Napa Valley fixture since 1979, when it was founded by the late Gil Nickel. From the outset the winemaker has been Dirk Hampson, though today he keeps a knowing eye on the winery’s young winemaking team. But his steady presence, as well as that of the Nickel family, has ensured a consistency of style over the decades. Today all wines are estate-grown, and the vineyards are close to Martha’s Vineyard and other iconic sites. This wine is aged for 17 months in more than 80% new oak, and is always rich and polished. Inner quote mark

94 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark A great effort from Far Niente in this truly magnificent vintage, with its similarities to 2002, the Far Niente 2012 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon has a dense purple color, plenty of structure and aging potential, and an impressive inner core of sweet crème de cassis fruit, licorice and background vanilla. This wine is still very much an infant in its evolution, and should keep for 20-30 years. Many 2012s are excessively generous, open-knit and fleshy, but this is holding a lot back. And wow, it is 'locked and loaded.' I wouldn’t be surprised to see this wine increase in score in about 5-10 years, and actually merit an even higher score. Bravo! (RP) 94+ Inner quote mark (10/2014)

94 points Wine Enthusiast

Outer quote mark Gentle on the front palate, this gorgeously rendered Cabernet Sauvignon, with smatterings of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, develops weight and body as it goes, while retaining classic restraint. Cherry and cassis counterpoise layers of toasty oak, cedar and silky tannins, finishing balanced. (VB) Inner quote mark (5/2015)

93 points Vinous

Outer quote mark Far Niente's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon is gorgeous. Layers of dark, mocha and spice-infused fruit meld together as this sumptuous, resonant Cabernet Sauvignon shows off its volume and breadth. Underlying beams of tannin give the 2012 its length and attractive sense of drive to balance the generous fruit. The 2012 could use another year or two in barrel, but it is already quite striking. There is a lot going on in this complex, highly nuanced Cabernet Sauvignon. (AG) Inner quote mark (10/2014)

92 points James Suckling

Outer quote mark Fruit-forward style of Napa Cabernet with lots of dried fruits such as prunes and raisins. Full body, round tannins and a fresh finish. It remains fruity and clean. Inner quote mark (7/2015)

K&L Notes

With its deep gravelly loam soil, Far Niente's Martin Stelling Vineyard is the cornerstone of their flagship Oakville Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. A perfect growing season with an evenly ripened crop was harvested throughout October, with no complication from autumn rains. The wine was aged in 83% new French oak for 17 months and blended with 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc before bottling. From the winery: "The 2012 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon opens with aromas of mixed berry fruit, boysenberry, chocolate covered cherries, layered with hints of graphite and toasted oak. On the palate, a smooth entry is followed by intense, ripe berry notes. This wine is focused and silky through the midpalate, building to a finish with broad tannins and notes of cedar and toasted oak."

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2012 Far Niente Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon

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Varietal:

Cabernet Sauvignon and Blends

- Cabernet Sauvignon has come a long way from its role as a blending varietal, however dominant, in the wines of Bordeaux. Today it is the most planted red varietal in the world. Identified as a descendent of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon needs to be planted in warmer climates to fully ripen. Its small berries can easily be identified for their distinctive blue color, thick skins and high tannins. And while the varietal has its own definitive characteristics: green pepper-like aromas and black currant flavors among them, it is perhaps most prized for its ability to convey terroir, vintage and winemaking. A relatively new varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon started making inroads into the wines of the Médoc and Graves in the late-18th century. Today it is also dominant in the up-and-coming Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux and can also be found in Southwest France. It is the companion varietal to Sangiovese in Italy's Super Tuscans and is planted all over Europe, stretching to lesser-known winegrowing regions like Russia and Lebanon. In the Americas Cabernet Sauvignon has found champions in every nook and cranny of California and among winemakers in Washington, where it complements plantings of Merlot. In South America, Cab thrives in Chile, but can also be found in smaller amounts in Argentina and even in Mexico.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year.

Specific Appellation:

Napa Valley

- America's most famous wine region, which encompasses a varied geographical territory running about 20 miles long from the San Francisco Bay northward to the foot of Mount St. Helena. Napa's great diversity, both in terms of climate and terroir, has led to the creation of a number of smaller AVAs like Stags Leap District, Rutherford, Howell Mountain, Oakville and Mount Veeder, among others. Cabernet and chardonnay still reign supreme, but just about everything under the sun is grown in Napa Valley, in quality levels ranging from $2 jug wine to $500 a bottle California cab.

Alcohol Content (%):

14.5

Organic: