Cabernet Sauvignon Sleeping Lady Vineyard Collection Case (2 x 2016, 2 x 2017, 2 x 2018)
Description
This six-bottle Collection Case contains two bottles (75cl) each of the 2016, 2017 and 2018 vintages of Ad Vivum.
Buying options
Tasting Notes
2016 Ad Vivum In Phelps’s words, 2016 was “a classic Napa vintage”; the weather was warm at the end of June, allowing the vines to focus on fruit ripening, while autumn brought cooler weather. Phelps harvested from 7th October, fermenting in 21% new French oak (the rest in stainless steel), with a total of 19 days on skins prior to maturation for 18 months in 65% new French oak. It has always had “a seamlessness”, Phelps noted, and that’s certainly true tasting the wine. The nose offers sweet, dark fruit, graphite purity and hints of lifted florals as well as an herbaceous edge. The palate is linear and pure, with mouthwatering acidity and a savoury core of ripe fruit, sweet cassis and ripe tannins that provide a drying grip on the finish. Although the oldest of this mini-vertical, it almost feels the youngest and will certainly benefit from additional time in bottle. A blend of 56% Clone 7 and 44% Clone 191 Cabernet Sauvignon. 2017 Ad Vivum The 2017 vintage is one that will forever be remembered for its wildfires in Napa, although fortunately Ad Vivum wasn’t impacted by them. After an early budbreak, the growing season was marked by three heatwaves – in mid-June, at the end of August and in mid-September. Having a cooler site, shaded from afternoon sun and with sufficient water reserves was key for Phelps. He harvested from 5th October, bringing in 55% Clone 191 and 45% Clone 7 Cabernet. It was fermented in 25% new French oak, spending 20 days on skins in total (Phelps noted how easily colour and tannin came in this hot vintage), before being aged 17 months in 70% new French oak. The nose here is bright and perfumed, combining sweet dark fruit – black cherries and blackcurrant – with floral lift and pencil lead. There’s a glorious purity to the fruit here, which follows through onto the dense yet fresh palate, displaying a juicy elegance. There’s a satisfying chew to the tannins, firm yet velvet-like, framing the waves of fruit that flow towards to the long, saline finish. Mouthwatering and moreish, this is hard to resist now. 2018 Ad Vivum Although the 2018 vintage in Napa started with relatively late budbreak, cooler, even temperatures made for a long growing season, and producing relatively plentiful yields – yet without any dilution, thanks to the extended season. Phelps harvested from 17th October, with the blend moving back towards around two thirds Clone 191 Cabernet from the original block and a third Clone 7. Fermented in 25% new French oak, Phelps left the 2018 on skins for 23 days – slightly longer than other vintages, feeling structured fruit needed more time to reach its potential, echoed with its maturation in 75% new oak for 20 months. Phelps notes how generous this wine has been from the beginning, but has developed further opulence and depth in bottle. This is a beautiful wine: the nose is intense, exuberant with dark fruit and a satisfying herbaceous edge. Although the blackcurrant and black plum fruit is beautifully ripe and smooth, there’s bright acidity that brings gorgeous freshness – making for a lithe and vibrant palate. The tannins are round and sleek, lending effortless structure, while there’s a saline, savoury edge to the long finish.
Critic Scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, The Wine Independent
More reviews and scores
2016: The 2016 Sleeping Lady was aged for 19 months in 75% new French oak. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the iconic Sleeping Lady Vineyard in Yountville is remarkably expressive and fresh, with bright cherry fruit and an incredible spicy richness of coriander, accented by a hint of white truffle, charcuterie, and cedarwood. Medium-bodied on the palate, with silken, super-fine tannins, blackcurrants, loamy earth, and liquorice, all building toward the finish, gaining volume and intensity. There's a superb balance of concentration and levity, with a long finish marked by graphite minerality. This is in a remarkable place. Drink 2025-2038. 97 points 2017: The 2017 Sleeping Lady is undeniably fresh, defying the heat of the vintage. It boasts alluring aromatics of crunchy red berry fruit, dusty minerals, and blood orange, with a fabulously exotic wild herb note reminiscent of sauvage, juniper, sage, and white mulberry. Medium- to full-bodied, with the same vibrant aromatics carrying through to the palate, it is exceptionally fine and balanced, with excellent tension. Winemaker Chris Phelps attributes this to the vineyard’s position in the shadow of the Mayacamas Mountains after 4 or 5 p.m. during the peak of summer, which helps preserve the grapes’ natural acidity. This wine is in a great place and has years ahead to age gracefully. Drink 2025-2036. 96 points 2018: The 2018 Sleeping Lady is built on a solid foundation of superbly structured tannins—firm, muscular, and robust. This is the most powerful vintage yet, with broad-shouldered tannins complemented by juniper, sage, black pepper notes and a hint of charcuterie. Medium-bodied on the palate, it offers blackberry and blue fruit aromatics alongside tobacco and espresso bean, with the tannins continuing to build through the finish. This is an impressively fresh and intriguing wine, with generous fruit character yet a coiled, reserved structure that carries remarkable tension. Drink 2025-2040. 98 points
2016: The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet with a hint of purple. It is closed to being and needs some time and swirling to reveal blackcurrant cordial, baked black plums, and boysenberry scents, plus touches of cedar, underbrush, and cardamom. Full-bodied, concentrated, and yet with compelling freshness, the palate is framed by ripe, rounded tannins, finishing long and light on its feet. Drink 2022-2037. 96 points, December 2022 2017: Deep garnet with a hint of purple, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon comes bounding out with notes of blackberry pie, fruitcake, chocolate mint, potpourri, and unsmoked cigars plus a touch of dusty earth. Full-bodied, rich, and seductive, the palate is plush, with a lively backbone and opulent finish. Drink 2022-2035. 94 points, December 2022 2018: The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color. It races out with pure scents of cassis, juicy black plums, and black raspberry plus wafts of dried Provence herbs, mossy tree bark, and crushed rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is firm, grainy, lively, and taut, with muscular fruit and a bright, energetic finish. Drink 2023-2053. 97 points, December 2022
2016: From an up-and-coming vineyard that’s producing some spectacular wines these days, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Sleeping Lady Vineyard offers terrific crème de cassis, violets, graphite, and tobacco notes as well as a full-bodied, seamless, impeccably balanced style on the palate. It shows the purity and elegance of the vintage yet has plenty of oomph. Based on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 18 months in 70% new oak, drink it any time over the coming two decades. Drink 2020-2040. 95 points, January 2020 2017: Winemaker Chris Phelps made a stunning 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Sleeping Lady Vineyard. It’s all Cabernet Sauvignon that was harvested on October 5 (pre-fire) and spent 18 months in 70% new French oak. It has a beautiful blue fruit quality as well as hints of wild strawberries, violets, and Asian spices, with a slightly lifted, exotic edge. As with the 2016, it’s beautifully balanced, elegant, and nicely concerted. Give bottles 3-4 years and it should evolve for 15-20 years or more. Drink 2023-2038. 94 points, January 2020 2017: The dense purple-hued 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Sleeping Lady Vineyard checks in as 100% varietal and is from a noteworthy site in Yountville. Pretty cassis, violet, menthol, and sappy herb notes give way to a full-bodied, beautifully balanced Cabernet with ripe tannins and a great, chalky mineral-like component on the finish. It needs 4-5 years but will keep for two decades or more. Drink 2025-2048. 95+ points, January 2021
About the producer
Ad Vivum is a tiny Napa project from winemaker Chris Phelps, previously of Dominus and Caymus. Created in 2007, Phelps makes one wine, exclusively from two blocks in the Sleeping Lady vineyard, the southernmost site in Yountville.