93 Points - great buy A classic Napa Cabernet from Freemark Abbey. 95 Points Decanter: "The estate known today as Freemark Abbey was established in 1886 by one of the first female wine-growers in Napa. Today Ted Edwards is head winemaker, working for the past three decades to develop relationships with growers, allowing exclusive sourcing rights to specific plots, which is crucial to the winery’s success. This wine has been aged for 28 months in a mixture of French and American oak. Powerful blackcurrant nose, with slightly charred oak. Very rich without being jammy, it packs a punch. An assertive and very youthful style, but good acidity and tannins mean this should go the distance. This is softly structured but with a good level of tannins. Violets and rose petals lead up to a lengthy finish. Great purity and clarity here." 93 Points James Suckling: " This shows hot stones, ash, undertones of citrus, slate and oyster shell. Lots of blue fruit on the palate with licorice character to define the full body, tight yet grippy tannins and fruity yet minerally finish. Drink in 2019." Robert Parker: "...Freemark Abbey remains one of the legendary Napa Valley wineries. In spite of what many feared when it was acquired by the Jackson family of Kendall-Jackson, things have only gotten stronger and more consistent under their leadership, with the continuation of chief winemaker Ted Edwards. Since I have been tasting these wines over the last few years, this has been a consistent producer of high quality wines in both red and white. They have added a couple of new cuvées to the portfolio, but are still well-known for their non-malolactic style of Chardonnay."
Boris Mathiszik
Solid Napa cab. PAG summer tasting.
Solid Napa cab. PAG summer tasting.
9.0Daniel P. Drake
Saturday night and I have opened the 2014 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. A Bordeaux blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. On the nose there is black cherry, black raspberry, black currant, licorice, sweet smokey oak, rose petals and earth. On the palate I am getting black cherry, blueberry, blackberry, black currant, licorice, charred sweet oak, rose petals and rich soil. I find this wine full bodied, rich, opulent and complex with medium + acidity, and medium + sandy tannins that leads you right into a long dark fruit finish and I mean the fruit continues all the way to the end. A very nice wine that makes the middle of the weekend all worth it. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and stay safe. Nostrovia!
Saturday night and I have opened the 2014 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. A Bordeaux blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. On the nose there is black cherry, black raspberry, black currant, licorice, sweet smokey oak, rose petals and earth. On the palate I am getting black cherry, blueberry, blackberry, black currant, licorice, charred sweet oak, rose petals and rich soil. I find this wine full bodied, rich, opulent and complex with medium + acidity, and medium + sandy tannins that leads you right into a long dark fruit finish and I mean the fruit continues all the way to the end. A very nice wine that makes the middle of the weekend all worth it. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and stay safe. Nostrovia!
9.3Mark Eastom
Nose: Cedar box, dark fruits, menthol, dill spice. Palate: I’m confused a bit. I get Napa red character, but it is a bit too heavy and syrupy. Overpowering a steak. Great for some I’m sure.
Nose: Cedar box, dark fruits, menthol, dill spice. Palate: I’m confused a bit. I get Napa red character, but it is a bit too heavy and syrupy. Overpowering a steak. Great for some I’m sure.
8.8Shawn Moore
Nice full flavors, dark fruit, probably should have enjoyed with a meal instead of solo but it was enjoyable.
Nice full flavors, dark fruit, probably should have enjoyed with a meal instead of solo but it was enjoyable.
9.0J Greene
This is a great wine. Sweet on the nose with some maple notes.
This is a great wine. Sweet on the nose with some maple notes.
9.1Brian S
Clear, deep concentration, purple color, ruby secondary color, heavy extracting, heavy tearing, clean nose, moderate intensity, developing, ripe red and black fruits black cherry, plum, raspberry, cassis, sage and tobacco, dry palate, red and black fruits, black and red plum.
Clear, deep concentration, purple color, ruby secondary color, heavy extracting, heavy tearing, clean nose, moderate intensity, developing, ripe red and black fruits black cherry, plum, raspberry, cassis, sage and tobacco, dry palate, red and black fruits, black and red plum.
9.0Kapyrick Wine
v14. Nice. Smokey, meaty nose. Juicy, black currant fruit. Velvety smooth soft leather finish.
v14. Nice. Smokey, meaty nose. Juicy, black currant fruit. Velvety smooth soft leather finish.
9.0Paul K
2 hours open in bottle before drinking. Black fruit, cherry, licorice, a little smokiness, black raspberry, dusty / grippy tannins, great balance, got a little heat from alcohol. All in all really great 9 year old! Have 5 bottles left. Targeting one every tow years. Thanks for the reminder @James K !!
2 hours open in bottle before drinking. Black fruit, cherry, licorice, a little smokiness, black raspberry, dusty / grippy tannins, great balance, got a little heat from alcohol. All in all really great 9 year old! Have 5 bottles left. Targeting one every tow years. Thanks for the reminder @James K !!
9.2James K
This is humming right now. Value buy that has improved with age. Unexpected, pleasant surprise.
This is humming right now. Value buy that has improved with age. Unexpected, pleasant surprise.
9.3Nick Arensdorf
Deep cooked black cherry and blackberry bursting on the nose; vanilla cedar wood, rustic tobacco, and baking spices with hint of zestiness; high tannin and medium acidity, room to age smoothly and planning on it. Gifted from Tina and Doug Xmas 2017.
Deep cooked black cherry and blackberry bursting on the nose; vanilla cedar wood, rustic tobacco, and baking spices with hint of zestiness; high tannin and medium acidity, room to age smoothly and planning on it. Gifted from Tina and Doug Xmas 2017.
9.4WARNING: DRINKING DISTILLED SPIRITS, BEER, COOLERS, WINE AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES MAY INCREASE CANCER RISK, AND, DURING PREGNANCY, CAN CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS.