Saddleback Cellars
2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
California: Napa Valley
Mission Briefing
Saddle up!
Today’s Saddleback Cellars 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon is the latest in a long string of hits by California’s first 100 point winemaker, Nils Venge.
Nils is a remarkable fellow and we are so proud to have featured nearly 20 of his wonderful wines over these last several years. With each successive vintage, his wines seem to get better and better.
Today’s very highly recommended Saddleback Napa Valley Cab is a rich, complex and deeply extracted wine that will delight any fan of big, classic Cabernet Sauvignon. Enjoy this big wine with something that matches its complexity.
Decant for best results. As this wine breathes, it softens to become even more elegant and lush. Drink now, or hold for the next decade - or longer.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Dark burgundy hues with beautiful edges of glinting ruby. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Heady and lush with lovely aromas of dark stewed plum, blackberry compote, black cherry, sweet fresh tobacco leaf, dried violets and bramble with a hint of allspice. |
| Taste: | Dark and layered with dark mixed berry compote, plum, black currant, black cherry, hard leather, dried tobacco leaf and savory spice. |
| Finish: | Very long, with dark fruits fading to earth and spice. Elegant on entry, then quickly drying. |
| Pairing: | Enjoy this striking wine with a perfectly seared filet mignon or a juicy prime rib with the requisite horseradish. |
What the Winery Says
Deep colored, heady aromas of ripe black cherries, peppery spice rack, and cigar box are emitted from this wine’s fragrant bouquet. Provocative, aromatic displays of ripe berries layered over rich velvety tannins produce an impeccable multi-layered mouthfeel. Elegantly compliments grilled steak, braised short ribs, rack of lamb and aged cheese such as Blue, Brie and Camembert.
Wine Advocate 91 Point Review The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon offers up plums, black cherries, licorice and grilled herbs in a somewhat compact, mid-weight style best suited to near-term drinking.
- Winemaker
- Nils Venge
- Accolades
- 91 Points - Wine Advocate
- Appellation
- Napa Valley, California
- Varietal Composition
- 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petite Verdot, 1% Syrah
- Cooperage
- Aged for 24+ months in French and American oak (65% new)
- ABV
- 14.5%
About the Winery
Here at Saddleback Cellars, we take every step to assure the highest quality wines from grape to bottle. Our goal is to produce wines that are true to their varietal and place; we limit production to only five to six thousand cases a year to further our goal of making truly hand-crafted wines of the highest quality.
Winemaker/owner Nils Venge and Lars, our assistant winemaker, use traditional winemaking techniques to assure well balanced wines that are easy to drink young and, with the proper cellar conditions, age with grace and beauty.
Winemaker Nils Venge
Born to Danish immigrants, Nils’ exposure to wine came at an early age: his parents operated a wine and liquor import and distribution company in Southern California. Nils continued his pursuit of wine at the University of California in Davis where he earned a BS in Viticulture in 1967.
Following graduation he moved to the Napa Valley to pursue his interest in winemaking. In the subsequent years, he worked for notable wineries, such as Charles Krug, Sterling, Villa Mount Eden and Groth. During his tenure at Groth, Nils became the first American winemaker to receive a perfect 100 point rating from Wine Critic Robert Parker Jr. for the 1985 Groth Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which catapulted him to a venerated position in the California wine industry.
Vineyard Notes
Saddleback Cellars is a small winery located off dead-end Money Road in Oakville, California. We sit at just about the 50-yard line of the valley.
Our vineyard comprises a total of 14.8 acres where we grow six varietals. As it is, 8.4 acres are planted in Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.9 acres in Chardonnay, 1.75 acres in Merlot, 1.1 acres in Pinot Blanc, 0.3 acres in Pinot Grigio and 0.3 acres in Zinfandel.
All of our grapes are hand-picked and rushed right to our onsite crush pad where we begin the winemaking process right away. Come see the action between late August and late October of each year.