Exploring The Cabernet Sauvignon Of Napa Valley, Part Five: Mountain Wines

Published May 2021 on forbes.com

Written by Brian Freedman

Seven Apart “Seven Apart Shale” 2018 Stags Ridge Vineyard Atlas Peak

This is rich, generous, powerful, and opulent without sacrificing purity, elegance, and detail. Aromas of black raspberries, cassis, and blueberry compote dance with pencil shavings and incense, and set the stage for a palate of sweet ripe fruit—blackberries, huckleberries, crème de cassis—and cobbler shell, the caramelized top of a vanilla crème brûlée, and then candied violets, cedar, and crunchy minerality. Kirsch-filled dark chocolate ganache rises to the surface, and the ripe tannins are remarkably elegant. Drink this now or hold onto it for the next 25 years.