Vine Hill Ranch VHR, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 2018

Tucked along the wooded hills of the Mayacamas Mountain Range in Oakville, nestled between the Harlan Estate and Dominus, fruit from this esteemed vineyard has been the source for many prestigious wines over the years (Harlan, Bond, Cakebread, Lail, to name a few) and certainly ranks among Napa's greatest crus. Three generations of the Phillips family have cultivated wine grapes here, joining a long line of Napa Valley growers who have farmed these acres since 1884. The VHR Vine Hill Ranch vineyard is divided into seven distinct blocks, and it is the individual harvesting and blending of these seven blocks by winemaker Francoise Peschon (Accendo, Cornell, Heimark, Drinkward Peschon), that creates the finesse of VHR. Seven unique sites - one epic wine. "The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon has filled out beautifully since I tasted it a year ago. Rich, sumptuous and enveloping, the 2018 captivates all the senses with its sensual personality. All the Vine Hill Ranch signatures come through so beautifully. The 2018 possesses tremendous intensity as it continues to open in the glass, revealing myriad shades of nuance. Black cherry, lavender, spice and chocolate all flesh out on a wine that balances the sumptuousness of the 2012 with some of the energy (but not the size) of the 2013." ~Antonio Galloni, 98 Points.