Vine Hill Ranch 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Estate” Oakville, Napa Valley 97 Points

Wine Enthusiast 97 Points: “Great concentration is the hallmark of this structured, dark, and age-worthy estate-grown wine from a vineyard long sought after by other producers. From a dense aroma of tightly packed fruit, oak, and espresso it moves to powerful dark chocolate, dried black cherry, and dark mineral flavors wrapped in burly tannins. Best 2027–2040.”

TWI (Lisa Perotti-Brown) 95+ Points: “The 2020 Vine Hill Ranch VHR Cabernet Sauvignon has a deep purple-black color. It springs from the glass with bright, vivacious red and black cherry notes, followed by a classic cassis, wild sage, and cedar-scented core, with hints of roses, cardamom, and menthol. The medium to full-bodied palate shimmers with energy and vivacious red and black berry layers, supported by fine-grained tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long with loads of floral and mineral sparks”

Decanter 95 Points: “The 2020 VHR achieves a dramatic balance of opulence and structure. Leading with plump dark fruit, fragrant brown spices, capsicum, and bay laurel. Full-bodied with satiny black fruit framed by firm, present tannins that build on the finish. There’s a suede-like swagger about this one, downright muscular and deserving of a good decanting—a nice showing for the vintage. Harvested from Blocks 1, 3, 4, and 6, and all before September 25. Vine Hill Ranch in Oakville is owned by the Philips family, who have been growers since 1959 and is a source for such producers as Harlan’s BOND Estate, TOR Wines, Dalla Valle’s DVO, and Colgin, among other esteemed Napa producers. The vineyard manager is Mike Wolf, and winemaker Françoise Peschon produces the VHR wine.  “

Winemaker Notes:  Showcasing the distinctive attributes of those vineyard blocks, the 2020 Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is dark, highly structured, and wonderfully expressive. Blackberry fruit, gravel, spice, menthol, licorice, and cedar provide layers of breadth and texture. The vintage’s expansive and lush mouthfeel is framed by fine-grain tannins, dark ripe fruit, and vibrant acidity. Elegant and complex, possessed of a signature depth and exquisite balance, the 2020 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon perfectly captures the unique terroir of our family’s vineyard in Oakville.