Venge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 'Silencieux'

Kirk Venge's "entry level" Cabernet Sauvignon is made using the same care and "ingredients" as many wines that cost 3 to 4 times the price. Fruit comes from top sites in Calistoga, Oakville, and Rutherford, and the wine is aged for 18 months in high quality (and high dollar) French oak (65% new). The finished product slays so many Napa Cabs that cost two to three times the price.

'Opaque in color, very "leggy" in the glass, and the nose is classic Venge. Huge notes of cassis, ripe dark berries, dark chocolate, vanilla bean, espresso, and oak spice all come out to play. This coats every square inch of the palate and offers up similar flavors as aromas. Seamless in texture with fine-grained, ripe tannins, this is a big wine that drinks a little too easily. Super long on the finish! Like most vintages of this wine, this offers immediate gratification, but I suspect it will provide great drinking over the next 10-15 years.' - Josh Spurling - 95+ points