Accolades
Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2017 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine Advocate, Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Made of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color and prances out of the glass with vivacious blackberries, crushed black cherries, warm black currants and red currant jelly scents plus exotic hints of cassia, cardamom, fenugreek and star anise with a waft of underbrush. Medium-bodied, the palate has fantastic energy and beautiful poise, with bags of bright, crunchy black and red fruit plus a firm, fine-grained texture, finishing long and spicy. 97+ points (October 31, 2019)
Wine.com, Wilfred Wong
The 2017 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon is magnificent. This wine is powerful, yet thoughtful, and restrained. Its strength is staying composed and elegant while showing us the best attributes of St. Helena Cabernet. Enjoy its aromas and flavors of ripe fruit, savory spices, graphite, and licorice. Pair it with aged cheeses and thought-provoking conversations. 97 points (May 28, 2020)
Jamessuckling.com, James Suckling
A soft, velvety red with dark-berry, blackcurrant and plum aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, creamy and delicious. Pretty tension of fruit and tannins. Very refined. 89% cabernet sauvignon, 7% cabernet franc and 4% petit verdot. Drink or hold. 96 points (December 12, 2019)
Vinous, Antonio Galloni
Spottswoode’s 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon has been simply tremendous on both occasions I have tasted it so far. Sweet red cherry, red plum, flowers and mint give the 2017 striking freshness to complement its decidedly mid-weight structure. The intense heat of the vintage caused ripening to slow down and yielded a wine with just 13.7% alcohol, which is low for both the estate and Napa Valley in general. Spottswoode was one of the first estates in the valley to adopt a more moderate approach to farming and that really paid off in 2017, as a wine of this level in that year could have only resulted from impeccable farming. In a word: magnificent! 96 points (January 10, 2020)
Wine Spectator, James Molesworth
Features a sleek and racy edge with damson plum and black currant fruit working together, revealing pinpoints of savory, sage and iron scattered throughout. The mouthwatering finish shows the vintage’s slightly brambly grip, but with superior integration and energy to most of its peers. 95 points (November 15, 2020)
Jebdunnuck.com, Jeb Dunnuck
One of the wines of the vintage, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate shows what a great terroir and winemaking team can do even in very challenging vintages. Offering full-bodied aromas and flavors of jammy cassis and blackberry fruits as well violets and tobacco, it has wonderful tannins, a seamless texture, and a good spine of acidity. This is a classic, balanced, impeccably put-together Spottswoode that will keep for 25-30 years. 96 points (August 23, 2021)
Wine Enthusiast Advanced Buying Guide, Virginie Boone
This is from the producer’s organically farmed estate and blended with 7% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. A beautiful, elegant and youthful wine, it offers seamless texture and integration, quiet hints of blue-berry and black currant and a hint of cocoa powder. Gentle in nature and approach, it has a complex depth and more to say. 96 points (April 2021)
Forbes.com, Amber Gibson
Father’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons
Over the course of 36 vintages since 1982, the Spottswoode Estate Cabernet Sauvignon has been regularly compared to the First Growths of Bordeaux by wine critics. The legendary, 138-year-old Napa Valley estate vineyard at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains was the first estate vineyard in Napa Valley to be farmed organically beginning in 1985, creating wines of depth and nuance. Vineyard manager and winemaker Aron Weinkauf has been at Spottswoode for 15 years and his latest vintage is warm and weighty, with fudgy plum balanced by flinty minerality. Pair it with a simple burger or meaty mushrooms. (June 6, 2020)
Sunset.com, Matt Bean
Producing wine since the early 1970s, the Spottswoode family was one of the first in the valley to dial back aggressive farming techniques, sacrificing yield for quality. The result is clear in this elegant, complex Cab, which launches into blackberries and cassis and offers sandalwood and spices through each sip. One for the ages. (November 13, 2020)
