Pure, rich and delicious, with a sumptuous core of melted black licorice, dark berry, nutmeg-scented spice, loamy earth and dried herb. Shows impressive focus, density and persistence. Tempting now, but should age well.
Reviews:
- Wine Advocate: Araujo’s 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard is a picture perfect example of the year. Vibrant, precise and beautifully chiseled, the 2010 boasts serious depth and concentration. The aromas and flavors are incredibly vivid in this textured, dazzling Cabernet Sauvignon. Hints of dark blue and black fruit, mocha, espresso and grilled herbs flesh out on the huge finish. Today the 2010 is unusually open, but it is almost certain to shut down in bottle over the next 6-12 months. The 2010 is a super-classic Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon from Araujo.
- James Suckling: One of the great wines of California made from biodynamically grown grapes. Shows unique character of hot stones, iodine and currants. Tannic yet balanced and refined.
Producer Information
Araujo Estate is a Napa Valley estate particularly associated with its noted Eisele vineyard and the flagship Cabernet Sauvignon grown there. It is regarded as one of California’s cult wineries and was included in Robert Parker’s 2005 book, “The World’s Greatest Wine Estates”. The 38-acre (15-hectare) Eisele vineyard is located on an old alluvial fan near the northern end of the Napa Valley, just east of Calistoga. It is protected by the Palisades Mountain to the north and cooled by westerly breezes, and produces a low-yielding crop of very concentrated fruit. It was originally planted in the 1880s to Zinfandel and Riesling, with the first Cabernet not planted until 1964. Now, 75 percent of the vineyard is planted to Bordeaux red varieties – mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with some Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot. Araujo’s winery is a barn-type construction on the vineyard, with cellars built into the hillside. Grapes are sorted and transferred without pumping to stainless steel or concrete fermenters. Individual lots are aged in French oak barrels before the final blends are assembled.
