This vineyard block is named for the family dog, Dante. The wine is dark and concentrated in the glass, with rich cassis, sage, chocolate and vanilla aromas. It comes on like a Napa Cab freight train, but it actually has a remarkable freshness and grace on the palate that's a pleasant surprise. It isn't sappy, sweet, or blundering. It doesn't speak of the minerally higher Oakville bench or the hillside, but it has that undeniable signature of the Oakville strike-zone climate. Hoopes' wines are made by esteemed winemaker Aaron Potts, and there's some serious craftsmanship at work here. It might not be a value proposition, but this is a damn good Cabernet by any standard. It is also worth noting that Lindsay Hoopes is a second-generation Napa grower and a very successful lawyer, who is working very hard to defend the rights of similarly-situated small growers and wineries in Napa Valley to do business freely in the very restrictive Napa Valley. (95 Points)
- Tim Teichgraeber
No comments:
Post a Comment