2017 Cakebread 'Benchland Select' Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
We’ll let Jeb Dunnuck sing the praises of this flagship masterpiece: “Deep purple-hued with a classic Cabernet nose of blackcurrants, cassis, graphite, cedary spice, and chocolate, this puppy hits the palate with full-bodied richness, an elegant, seamless texture, a chalky minerality and a great finish.” It’s another solid achievement from an estate known for restaurant-worthy wines designed to take your meal to the next level of gastronomic perfection. Plus, it’s drinking beautifully right now. Bring it out at your next dinner party and blow a few minds.
Neither a cake, nor a bread. The winery got its start when Jack Cakebread took an unassuming trip to wine country to photograph the area for a book. Within a few days, Cakebread Winery was already taking shape. It’s been a wild ride over the last forty years for the valley pioneers. Visitors to the winery with an interest in wine as a part of healthy living are on the upswing. While times are ‘a changing,’ the winery’s premise remains unshakable; to produce memorable, food friendly wines that speak of their distinctive terroir. Visitors to the Rutherford estate experience the wine, and if they are lucky, a glimpse of Dolores Cakebread’s famed gardens. This is where the good life was imagined, and here it’s eagerly shared.
Jeb Dunnuck
One of the flagship releases, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Benchland Select is all Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 22 months in 60% new French oak. Deep purple-hued with a classic Cabernet nose of blackcurrants, cassis, graphite, cedary spice, and chocolate, this puppy hits the palate with full-bodied richness, an elegant, seamless texture, a chalky minerality, and a great finish. It's a smoking good Cabernet Sauvignon that will improve with 2-5 years of bottle age and cruise for two decades or more. This 2017 matches what this estate achieved in 2016 and 2015.