Barlow Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Calistoga 2016

All of the members of the winemaking family behind Barlow Vineyards are farmers at heart. Since purchasing their land in the Napa Valley in 1994, they have farmed it all themselves, using their combined talents to produce exceptional wines. Warren Barlow Smith, a salesman, and Jeanne Smith, an accountant and financial manager, along with their son Barr Smith, a Geology major, and daughter-in-law Ann Smith, a Botany major, produced a small amount of estate grown cabernet sauvignon originally only intended for their family and friends to enjoy. Winemaker Art Finklestein tried it and was so impressed he urged them to sell it instead, and they quickly sold out. They have been producing exceptional wines since that fateful first year, and this 100% cabernet sauvignon is no exception. Luxuriously smooth with velvety tannins, it opens the show with intense aromas of black cherry and violets, before yielding to a gorgeous array of flavors on the palate including black cherry, blackberry, and currant, elegantly layered with soft vanilla. Integrated yet firm tannins provide support for a supple, luscious finish. It spends 23 months in French oak, giving warm aromas of vanilla and spice. This wine will continue to grow beautifully throughout this decade. Napa Valley cab as it should be!