2017 Morlet Family Vineyards 'Mon Chevalier' Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley
In the heart of Napa Valley, Luc and Jodie Morlet handcraft vins de terroirs and unique cuvées, blending Old World principles with California ingenuity. Their dedication to quality is evident in every bottle, with small yields and meticulous winemaking producing powerful yet refined wines. Mon Chevalier, a dedication to their son, showcases intense, complex notes of berries, minerals, licorice, and tobacco, with a richly tannic palate and an elegant, enduring finish.
Wine Advocate
Coming from an estate-owned vineyard in the Knights Valley, mainly planted to clone 4, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Mon Chevalier (composed of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc) has a very deep purple-black color. It features fragrant notes of crushed red and black currants, blackberry preserves and dried bay leaves with touches of tilled black soil, tree bark and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, there are plenty of juicy black berry flavors on the palate with a firm, grainy texture, finishing with a lingering herbal lift. 465 cases were made.
Vinous
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Mon Chevalier from a site in Knights Valley, is rich, deep and unctuous, with all of the character that makes wines from this site so exciting. Graphite, inky blue/purplish fruit, spice and lavender infuse the 2017 with tremendous complexity. In the glass, the 2017 is savory, rich and expansive, not to mention hugely appealing. Harvest ran from September 30 to October 6.
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Mon Chevalier comes from Knights Valley and is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in puncheons. It's another beautiful, Bordeaux-like wine from Morlet that has lots of cassis and red plum fruits as well as cedarwood, graphite, crushed rocks, and violet aromas and flavor. Young and relatively unevolved, it has juicy acidity, plenty of mid-palate depth, sweet fruit, and a beautiful finish. Give bottles a good 3-4 years and it should keep for 20-25 years in cold cellars.