Eisele Vineyard - Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Price: $659.00
| Producer | Eisele Vineyard |
| Country | United States |
| Region | California |
| Subregion | Calistoga |
| Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Vintage | 2015 |
| Sku | 03190 |
Eisele Vineyard Description
In wine, there is nothing so immutable as the land. Vintages offer variation, as do winemakers and proprietors. Mother Nature is capricious, always wanting the last word. But the land is a constant, its geology and composition immovable. At the heart of every great wine is a piece of land like no other.
First planted to vines in the 1880s, Eisele Vineyard sits in the northeast Napa Valley, just east of Calistoga at the base of the Palisades Mountain range. Farmed organically since 1998 and biodynamically since 2000, the site has been principally dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon for the last fifty years. Beginning with the inaugural release bearing the Eisele name in 1971, this iconic vineyard has received consistent recognition for possessing one of the great terroirs of Napa Valley. The wines invariably express the exceptional depth, elegance and longevity which are hallmarks of the Eisele Vineyard.
Our vision is nothing less than to re-embrace the long history of Eisele Vineyard while realizing the full potential of this remarkable estate. Preserving and expanding upon the vineyard’s distinguished legacy in Napa Valley — and among the great winegrowing estates of the world — is both an honor and our aspiration. Through intellectual rigor, humility, and with the utmost respect for the land, our aim is to make wines that speak of the Eisele Vineyard in the most authentic way possible.
To produce the estate's flagship wine, three quarters of the 38-acre Eisele Vineyard ​is dedicated to Cabernet Sauvignon and its companion varieties, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The resulting wine is an intense expression of the Eisele Vineyard terroir, exhibiting characteristic flavors of cassis, blackberry, cedar and chocolate, with a lingering mineral finish. Cabernets from the Eisele Vineyard are highly regarded for their complexity, concentration, weight without heaviness, silky texture and ability to age for decades.
WINEGROWING INFORMATION:
A mild and exceptionally dry winter led to early bud break, followed by the earliest bloom on record at the end of April. Fruit set was harmonious across the parcels showing once again the strength of the old vines and remarkable consistency of the terroir. While a cool May exposed the region to shatter and very low yields, the vines of Eisele Vineyard were protected by early growth and well-balanced canopies. Warm days through the summer fostered steady ripening, leading to the September 5 start of our Cabernet harvest, the earliest since 2001. The fruit received at the winery was of exceptional quality. Harvest ended on September 15th. The Eisele Vineyard grapes are certified ‘Organic’ by CCOF and ‘Biodynamic’ by Demeter.
TASTING NOTES:
Our winemaking team notes: “The 2015 vintage is full of energy. The initial nose is spicy with forward notes of cinnamon, vanilla, blonde tobacco, and cumin. With a swirl, highly expressive lily and rose aromas immediately lift from the glass, followed by a dark bouquet of black currant and boysenberry. The mouthfeel is characterized by round and silky tannins with great tension and energy. Fresh summer fruits are dominant with a hint of bay leaf and black olive, with earthier notes and spices building complexity as the wine lingers in a suave and long finish, characteristic of the Eisele Terroir.
Wine Advocate: 100 Points
Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon charges from the gate with exuberant red and black cherries notes, black currants and mulberries with a beautiful roses and lavender perfume, plus hints of sandalwood and cinnamon stick. Full-bodied, concentrated and downright explosive in the mouth, it is still wearing loads of gorgeous puppy-fat fruit flavors, offering suggestions of the complex, multilayered blockbuster that it will emerge into. The structure deserves its own mention: wonderful, seamless freshness and oh-so-fine, pixelated tannins, with an extraordinary persistence of fruit and mineral nuances. Wow.
– Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Vinous Media: 99 Points
Eisele Vineyard's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon is without question one of the wines of the vintage. Majestic and soaring in the glass, the 2015 is absolutely stunning from the very first taste. A rush of dark fruit, graphite, grilled herb, smoke, leather, earthiness and exotic spices makes a bold opening statement, but it is the wine's breath, volume and sheer intensity that are all off the charts. I tasted the 2015 blind in a flight of wines from Calistoga's Pickett Road neighborhood. All of the wines were terrific, but the wine that was most moving and most profound was unquestionably the 2015 from Eisele Vineyard. -- Antonio Galloni
James Suckling: 98 Points
Fabulous and subtle aromas of crushed berries and tobacco with leaves. Green olives and some cedar, too. Full-bodied, dense and tight with gorgeous intensity and length. Extremely persistent on the palate. A solid and racy red with complexity and vigor. Drink in 2022.
Wine Spectator: 95 Points
Slow to open but does so impressively, with an elegant array of dark berry, currant, light spice and oak notes, ending with a loamy earthiness. Best from 2021 through 2033. 1,575 cases made. — JL
