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: 2012 Gandona "Encosta" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2012 Gandona "Encosta" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

SKU #1201881 92 points Jeb Dunnuck

Outer quote mark The 2012 Encosta comes from Pritchard Hill and is made by Philippe Melka. Based on 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Cabernet Franc and Merlot, is a ripe, forward, undeniably delicious Napa Cabernet that has classic crème de cassis, tobacco, and licorice aromas and flavors. It’s medium to full-bodied, has the ripe, voluptuous style of the vintage, and sweet tannins. It’s drinking beautifully today but will have no issues keeping for another decade. Inner quote mark (8/2018)

91 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark The 2012 Gandona Vineyards Encosta Cabernet Sauvignon (which I assume is somewhat of a second-wine selection) is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Merlot. The wine shows spicy, foresty notes, a touch of tobacco leaf, moderate structure and blackcurrant and black raspberry fruit in a medium-bodied, juicy, alluring and seductive style. (RP) Inner quote mark (10/2014)

K&L Notes

Manuel Pires spent summers on his grandfather’s Quinta in the famed wine region of Douro. There, he made a promise to one day live life working the land. In 2006, Manuel and his wife, Cristina, purchased an estate on Pritchard Hill and began development of what would become Gandona Estate. Together with winemaker Philippe Melka, and viticulturalist Jim Barbour, they dedicate themselves to producing world-class wines. Encosta ("slope") Cabernet Sauvignon originates from the steeply terraced hillsides of Gandona Estate and its terra cotta-colored, volcanic soil. The 2011 vintage is a wine celebrating the very soul of hillside fruit capturing the essence of the vine's interaction with earth and sun.

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2012 Gandona "Encosta" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Price: $74.99

Quantity:

JD: 92

RP: 91

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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.