Gundlach Bundschu Vintage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
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Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
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Winemaker Notes
The 2016 Vintage Reserve benefitted from a glorious growing season, resulting in another stellar example of the best of Rhinefarm. Fresh blackberry and black currant aromas are spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon bark with an underlying layer of earth and clove. Medium in body and supported structurally by fine tannins and fresh acidity, this youthful, instant classic will develop beautifully over the next 8+ years but has the finesse for immediate enjoyment.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Reserve is made up of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec and 2% Petit Vedot. Deep ruby-purple, it has an intense core of crème de cassis and warm chocolate-covered cherries with lavender and garrigue perfume, cured meats, cedar, exotic spices and red cherry sparks. Full-bodied with intense, perfumed fruits, it has a sturdy frame of grainy tannins and good freshness, finishing very long and layered with mineral notions coming through. Put this away for a few years. 920 cases produced.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Vintage Reserve showed similar this go-round, with a rich, cassis, blackcurrant, scorched earth, and cedarwood-driven profile to go with full-bodied richness on the palate. A rich, meaty, iron-laced wine, it has serious structure, terrific balance, and a great finish.
Rating: 92+
Other Vintages
2018-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Enthusiast
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
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Robert
Parker -
James
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Gundlach Bundschu Winery is a family-owned, sixth-generation producer of distinctive wines of site-specific character. The winery's 320-acre Estate Vineyard, christened Rhinefarm in 1858, is located at the crossroads of the Sonoma Valley, Carneros and Napa Valley AVAs, at the base of the Mayacamas Mountain Range.
Gundlach Bundschu approaches its vineyards, wines, business and the world with spirit, creativity and dedication to excellence. When you open a bottle of Gundlach Bundschu, you uncork not only the Estate's unique ability to produce profound wines, but also a rich, personal relationship between the Gundlach Bundschu family and the land on which the family lives.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Perhaps the most historically significant appellation in Sonoma County, the Sonoma Valley is home to both Buena Vista winery, California's oldest commercial winery, and Gundlach Bundschu winery, California's oldest family-run winery.
It is also one of the more geologically and climactically diverse districts. The valley includes and overlaps four distinct Sonoma County sub-appellations, including Carneros, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Mountain and Bennett Valley. With mountains, benchlands, plains, abundant sunshine and the cooling effects of the nearby Pacific, this appellation can successfully produce a wide range of grape varieties. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, and most notably, Zinfandel all thrive here. Ancient Zinfandel vines over 100 years old produce small crops of concentrated, spicy fruit, which in turn make some of the Valley's most unique wines. These can also be made as “field blends” (wines made from a mix of grape varieties grown in the same vineyard) along with Petite Sirah, Carignan and Alicante Bouschet.