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: 2012 Araujo "Altagracia" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend

2012 Araujo "Altagracia" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend

SKU #1193923 93 points James Suckling

Outer quote mark This is a savory and balanced second wine with plums, berries and spices such as cloves and pepper. Full-bodied and velvety with bright acidity underneath and a flavorful finish. They say they used a little press wine in this and it gives a lift to the wine. Lots of currants and hints of pepper. Traditional. Inner quote mark (4/2015)

92 points Jeb Dunnuck

Outer quote mark Drinking nicely today, as are most 2012s, the 2012 Altagracia is the second wine of Araujo Estate, which was renamed to Eisele Vineyard in 2013. A blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Malbec, it reveals a still youthful, ruby hue to go with a classic Cabernet nose of red and black currants, toasted spices, tobacco, and earth. Plush, medium to full-bodied, and nicely textured on the palate, its sweet tannins and overall balance will keep it drinking nicely for another 15 years or more. Inner quote mark (12/2020)

91 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark A beautiful nose of red and black cherries, blackcurrants, spice box and earth jumps from the glass of this expressive, fragrant, medium-bodied wine that has velvety tannins, a burgeoning complexity and a savory, lush mouthfeel. This is a strong second wine from this famous vineyard. It can be drunk now or cellared for up to 15 or more years. It’s pure seductiveness. (RP) Inner quote mark (12/2015)

Jancis Robinson

Outer quote mark The 2012 Altagracia has the ample presence and fruit expression of the vintage on both the nose and palate but the structure continually cleans the palate, and the finish is long and mouthwatering bringing a pleasing overall presentation to the wine. The wine shows the bit more hedonistic presence of 2012 compared to the comparatively nipped in and focused 2013, though it still retains the restraint for which the brand is known. Notes of dark fruit with just a hint of raisin and black plum with a hint of fig – the flavours here are generous and dark without being excessive. Delicious and silky with well-integrated spice and an overall sense of pleasing richness. Very lightly rustic tannins and plenty of mouthwatering acidity to balance. 17.5/20 points (ECB) Inner quote mark (12/2016)

K&L Notes

The 2012 Altagracia is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot, and 4% Malbec.

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2012 Araujo "Altagracia" Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend

Price: $94.99

Quantity:

JS: 93

JD: 92

RP: 91

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Product Reviews:

By: Michael Jordan | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 3/10/2015 | Send Email

The amazing 2012 Araujo "Altagracia" Napa Valley Red Wine has just arrived and we couldn't be happier. The wine is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 6% Merlot and 4% Malbec. The wine is bold and vibrant with incredible purity of fruit. Black and blue fruit with hints of red berry, cassis, graphite and a touch of menthol. Cedar and vanilla wrap around the wine with great fervor. Tannins are very apparent but soft enough to approach this wine in the next couple of years.

By: Christie Brunick | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 3/6/2015 | Send Email

Looking for a perfect balance of power and beauty, a little Cali mixed with a little Bordeaux style, this delivers all the goods. Stunning structure, rich, bold, beautiful classic Cabernet fruit with structure and sweet oak that will keep this wine aging for years to come! To me it's just perfect! Drink while your Eisele Vineyard ages!

By: Trey Beffa | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 2/26/2015 | Send Email

The 2012 Altagracia shows a focused core of red currant fruit intertwined with minerals and graphite flavors. Not made with a heavy hand, this wine shows a wonderful purity of fruit and balance that lingers on through to the finish. This classic Bordeaux blend from Araujo will improve with some extra bottle age and be delicious over the next 5-10 years.

Additional Information:

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 (%):

14.8

Organic: