International Wine Report: 2018 Seven Apart Expedition™

Published October 2020 on internationalwinereport.com

Written by J. D’Angelo

The outstanding 2018 vintage marks the inaugural release for Seven Apart and their ‘Seven Apart Expedition™’ Cabernet Sauvignon. This new Napa Valley winery has much to offer, starting with one of Napa’s most talented winemakers Andy Erickson, who will be in charge of the winemaking. He will be utilizing the fruit sourced from their Stags Ridge Vineyard, which sits on dense volcanic soils at an elevation of 1,400 feet on Atlas Peak, along with fruit from their Base Camp Vineyard that is situated seven miles below on the Silverado trail. This wine is beautifully crafted, from a blend consisting of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon, but also includes a small percentage of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, which spent 18 months in 80% new French oak. The result is a simply stunning wine that bursts open with seductive aromatics of ripe black currants and blueberries that are joined with nuances of espresso, graphite, dark chocolate shavings, baking spices, fresh violets and hints of gravel. On the palate this is full-bodied, layered and incredibly concentrated, with beautifully ripe dark fruits that resonate throughout. It continues to impress as it displays wonderful overall balance with a remarkable sense of freshness as the gorgeous round, opulent mouthfeel goes on to envelop the long well-defined finish. Overall, this is an absolute knockout from Seven Apart that is drinking exceptionally well today, yet should also have a marvelous future ahead. I can certainly see why there is so much excitement around this winery, especially with three new vineyard specific releases on the horizon for next year.    

96 Points