Cade
Reserve Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon
Howell Mountain, Napa Valley, California, USA
We drove up Howell Mountain to get to Cade two Sundays ago. What we witnessed was a horror show of fire damage. It’s hard to see nature destroyed in such a fashion. What was worse were all the brick chimneys only standing where there were once a home or a winery building.
Glass fire note. The fire investigation revealed the fire was started by a Cakebread electric fence short. An additional saddening note is Dolores Cakebread, the co-founder of Cakebread Cellars died shortly after the Glass Fire started. She was 90. No way to know if the stress of the fire factored into her passing.
There are some wines that wow you at first sip. The 15 Reserve is certainly that kind of wine. It was simply, lush, ruby, elegant, stunning, gorgeous & flat out sexy. The structure, tension, balance & length show the beat of the vintage & Winemakers craft. I’ll want to revisit this in 10-15 years. Hard to resist now but, I’ll wait to get the full value of my investment which, should add a point or two. You’ll want to experience its integration at that age. This will cellar nicely 30 years with proper storage.
Ripe, round, lush & opulent fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, cherries & strawberries. Melted caramel, dark cola, mocha, dark chocolate, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, mid dark spices, steeped fruit tea, soft leather, saddle-wood, stones, crushed, dry rocks, soft, understated volcanics with fresh & candied florals that are; dark, red & purple. Acidity is round & beautiful. The finish is flat out gorgeously stunning. Incredible balance & elegance that persists heavenly on the palate for minutes.
This a prime example of why I love & buy Cade.
Photos of; Cade Estate vines, outside patio tasting area, infinity wall and their Estate Cabernet fruit unharvested. Sadly, about 80-85% of the 2020 Napa Valley Cabernet fruit will never see bottling.
We drove up Howell Mountain to get to Cade two Sundays ago. What we witnessed was a horror show of fire damage. It’s hard to see nature destroyed in such a fashion. What was worse were all the brick chimneys only standing where there were once a home or a winery building.
Glass fire note. The fire investigation revealed the fire was started by a Cakebread electric fence short. An additional saddening note is Dolores Cakebread, the co-founder of Cakebread Cellars died shortly after the Glass Fire started. She was 90. No way to know if the stress of the fire factored into her passing.
There are some wines that wow you at first sip. The 15 Reserve is certainly that kind of wine. It was simply, lush, ruby, elegant, stunning, gorgeous & flat out sexy. The structure, tension, balance & length show the beat of the vintage & Winemakers craft. I’ll want to revisit this in 10-15 years. Hard to resist now but, I’ll wait to get the full value of my investment which, should add a point or two. You’ll want to experience its integration at that age. This will cellar nicely 30 years with proper storage.
Ripe, round, lush & opulent fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, cherries & strawberries. Melted caramel, dark cola, mocha, dark chocolate, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, mid dark spices, steeped fruit tea, soft leather, saddle-wood, stones, crushed, dry rocks, soft, understated volcanics with fresh & candied florals that are; dark, red & purple. Acidity is round & beautiful. The finish is flat out gorgeously stunning. Incredible balance & elegance that persists heavenly on the palate for minutes.
This a prime example of why I love & buy Cade.
Photos of; Cade Estate vines, outside patio tasting area, infinity wall and their Estate Cabernet fruit unharvested. Sadly, about 80-85% of the 2020 Napa Valley Cabernet fruit will never see bottling.
We drove up Howell Mountain to get to Cade two Sundays ago. What we witnessed was a horror show of fire damage. It’s hard to see nature destroyed in such a fashion. What was worse were all the brick chimneys only standing where there were once a home or a winery building.
Glass fire note. The fire investigation revealed the fire was started by a Cakebread electric fence short. An additional saddening note is Dolores Cakebread, the co-founder of Cakebread Cellars died shortly after the Glass Fire started. She was 90. No way to know if the stress of the fire factored into her passing.
With the first taste, you could immediately sense the step up from the Howell Mtn. The fruit much more ruby and while the tannins still big but are more well rounded & soft. It’s decadent. The structure, tension less astringent and the length/balance more beautiful over the Howell Mtn. The fruits, ripe juicier & ruby; dark cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, fresh roast, leathery, graphite, herbaceous quality, tobacco, dry stems, some dark spice, softly layered baking spices, crushed rocks with florals that are fresh & candied; dark, red, purple framed in a field of understated lavender & brilliant violets. The acidity is excellent. The long, lush, elegant, well knitted & balanced finish is truly special persisting into dry, powdery tannins, earth & spice.
This will flirt with a 95-96 with ten years in bottle.
Photos of; Cade Estate vines, outside patio tasting area, infinity wall and their Estate Cabernet fruit unharvested. Sadly, about 80-85% of the 2020 Napa Valley Cabernet fruit will never see bottling.
We drove up Howell Mountain to get to Cade two Sundays ago. What we witnessed was a horror show of fire damage. It’s hard to see nature destroyed in such a fashion. What was worse were all the brick chimneys only standing where there were once a home or a winery building.
Glass fire note. The fire investigation revealed the fire was started by a Cakebread electric fence short. An additional saddening note is Dolores Cakebread, the co-founder of Cakebread Cellars died shortly after the Glass Fire started. She was 90. No way to know if the stress of the fire factored into her passing.
With the first taste, you could immediately sense the step up from the Howell Mtn. The fruit much more ruby and while the tannins still big but are more well rounded & soft. It’s decadent. The structure, tension less astringent and the length/balance more beautiful over the Howell Mtn. The fruits, ripe juicier & ruby; dark cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, fresh roast, leathery, graphite, herbaceous quality, tobacco, dry stems, some dark spice, softly layered baking spices, crushed rocks with florals that are fresh & candied; dark, red, purple framed in a field of understated lavender & brilliant violets. The acidity is excellent. The long, lush, elegant, well knitted & balanced finish is truly special persisting into dry, powdery tannins, earth & spice.
This will flirt with a 95-96 with ten years in bottle.
Photos of; Cade Estate vines, outside patio tasting area, infinity wall and their Estate Cabernet fruit unharvested. Sadly, about 80-85% of the 2020 Napa Valley Cabernet fruit will never see bottling.
Dark fruit, menthol, leather. Balanced, intergraded.
Dark fruit, menthol, leather. Balanced, intergraded.
Jan 30th, 2018
Awesome 2012 Reserve Cab Screwcap from Cade. Soft fleshy tannin structure with gobs of black fruits, plums and cassis. Wow! Wish I had another bottle of this beauty. I give this beauty a solid 98 + points. Breath taking! CB
Awesome 2012 Reserve Cab Screwcap from Cade. Soft fleshy tannin structure with gobs of black fruits, plums and cassis. Wow! Wish I had another bottle of this beauty. I give this beauty a solid 98 + points. Breath taking! CB
Feb 20th, 2017
Blue fruits, plum and violets on the nose. Dark blue and black fruit, minerals and fleshy soft finish.
Blue fruits, plum and violets on the nose. Dark blue and black fruit, minerals and fleshy soft finish.
Jul 17th, 2015
A stunning wine. Fruit forward, rich, and juicy. Lots of blueberry, black cherry, plum, mocha, and vanilla. A wonderful bouquet and a sinfully satisfying finish.
A stunning wine. Fruit forward, rich, and juicy. Lots of blueberry, black cherry, plum, mocha, and vanilla. A wonderful bouquet and a sinfully satisfying finish.
Feb 28th, 2023