2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the base of the Mayacamas Mountains in western Napa has classic licorice, charcoal, blackcurrant fruit, and a touch of underbrush and spice. It is medium to full-bodied, very pure and, like so many 2005s, still very fresh and lively. Alcohol comes in at 14.3%, which is relatively modest in Napa these days. Drink it over the next decade.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Good deep Ruby-red. Slightly high-toned aromas of black cherry, menthol and nutty oak. Broad, dry and rich, with licorice and mineral notes complicating the dark fruit flavors. Very good, but can't match the estate's superb 2004 for sheer palate-saturating material. I found myself wishing for a bit more definition and grip. Owner Jeff Smith told me that this vineyard was harvested on November 17, with the fruit still in good condition despite five separate rain events in the final weeks of the growing season.