Casa Piena Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Napa Valley, California

Pairing the robust opulence of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with the graceful sophistication of a prized Bordeaux, Casa Piena is crafted to honor its Yountville roots while achieving a seamless balance between fruit and the earth. The stunning uniqueness of Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon is that though it is able to realize voluptuous ripeness, the resulting wines nonetheless reflect nuanced elements of cool climate elegance and soil-driven character. As a result, Casa Piena is receiving rave reviews for its powerful expressiveness. It evokes Bordelaise characteristics of ripe red and black fruit, spice and minerality, without compromising its Napa Valley heritage. Thomas Brown is renowned for his ABC style of winemaking. He believes that you must first find the special piece of ground that can provide you with the quality of fruit that will enable the winemaker to craft a great product. The next step is to guaranty that the farming methods used are creative, intelligent, updated and sustainable for the vineyard and its neighbors. Lastly, he employs a minimalist approach to handling the juice even when he is applying his fine artistic touch. 2012 vintage – After 18 months in the cellar, the finished wine has a deep opaque color with a complementary violet edge in the glass. Layered notes of kirsch liqueur, rosemary, and nutmeg are found on the nose. The palate experience offers both structure and a complex fruit core that play off each other. The entry has a refined earthiness that evolves into a softer, rounder mid-palate dominated by spicy fruit notes.