Plank Walker
2013 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
California: Napa Valley
Mission Briefing
Grandpa Beringer
Last year, Plank Walker won a Wine Spies Intrigue Award for Top Meritage. That wine broke sales records. Today, Plank Walker returns, with their dark, elegant 2013 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. We expect this wine to smash records, as well. At 44% off, this wine delivers incredible value, a beautiful nose, and deep, rich flavors.
Perfumed and super pretty on the nose, with aromas of Bing cherry reduction, black cherry preserve, raspberry, spice box, sweet tobacco leaf, hibiscus tea, almond skin and black tea leaf. Balanced on the palate, with dark fruit, earth and spice that all play together in harmony. Flavors of blackberry juice, black cherry, plum, black currant, mixed spice, chocolate and subtle slate mineral.
This wine was made by Greg Lawson, whose family has been in the California wine trade for generations. Greg hails from a winemaking family that has been in the Napa Valley for nearly 40 years. Greg’s grandfather was the first president of Beringer Winery and his family is still very much in the wine business. Greg’s brother Jeff works for a large wine distributor in Santa Barbara and his other brother Rob is a former CEO of Napa Wine Co, where today he is their winemaker as well as winemaker for a number of select Napa brands. Mark Beringer (formerly at Duckhorn) is one of Greg’s childhood friends.
Very highly recommended. Drink now or hold for the next several years.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Dark red, with a certain amount of perceived luminocity that gives the edges of the wine a softly glowing appearance. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Bing cherry reduction, black cherry preserve, raspberry, spice box, sweet tobacco leaf, hibiscus tea, almond skin, and black tea leaf. |
| Taste: | Blackberry juice, black cherry, plum, black currant, mixed spice, chocolate, and subtle slate mineral. |
| Finish: | After a soft, elegant entry, the wine becomes quickly grippy all across the palate. Then, as fruits fade, spice and earth move to the fore - and dryness sets in, eventually spreading to the lips, cheeks, and gums. |
| Pairing: | This is a very food-flexible wine, but we’ll be enjoying ours with a juicy beef Wellington… |
What the Winery Says
- Winemaker
- Gregory Lawson
- Varietal
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Blend
- 86% Cabernet Sauvignon
- ~
- 5% Merlot
- ~
- 5% Cabernet Franc
- ~
- 2% Petite Verdot
- ~
- 2% Malbec
- Vintage
- 2012
- Appellation
- Napa Valley
- Abv
- 14.8%
- Aging
- 20 months
- Barrels
- French oak
- Bottle aging
- 34 months