Salvestrin Winery St. Helena Estate Dr. Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
(Napa Valley, California) - [TWI 94+] [WA 94] [DM 94] [JS 93] [WS 92]

About this Wine:
The flagship Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Dr. Crane vineyard represents the pinnacle of Salvestrin winemaking. Medium bodied with finesse and focus, this wine opens with notes of black cherry, raspberry, fig and dried rose petals. The wine shows restraint and tension, perfectly built for long aging potential. The texture is velvety without compromising its inherent Cabernet weight, the mid palate is juicy and the finish persistently chalky yet polished.

Hints of barrel tones including baking spice and vanilla on the palate mingle with notes of red plum and fennel.  Made from 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, the wine is aged for a total of 22 months, racked 2-3 times while aging 22 months in (58% new) French oak.

Ratings & Reviews

94+ Points - The Wine Independent:
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2020 Dr Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon flows effortlessly from the glass with notes of plum preserves, blackberry pie, and raspberry coulis with suggestions of tobacco leaf, charcoal, and dried lavender. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers bright, refreshing black and red berry flavors with earthy accents and wonderful purity, finishing long and energetic. This is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc. 1077 cases were made.

“In 2020, we picked Cabernet Sauvignon the second week of September,” said Salvestrin’s winemaker Natalie Winkler. “All of our fruit was harvested before the Glass Fire. We sent samples to Canada and Australia just to test and be sure. The first fire didn't really affect us, although we did lose some fruit on the Crystal Springs vineyard. Other than the Glass Fire, our 2020 growing season was phenomenal!”

94 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
Picked well before the Glass Fire (between September 5th and 18th), the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Crane Vineyard is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. Cherry fruit dominates, although there are hints of darker fruit, cigar box and mocha. Full-bodied and richly concentrated, this is a clear step up from the Napa bottling, finishing long, lush and velvety, with a deep, earthy undercurrent. 2024 - 2040

94 Points - Decanter:
From owners Rich and Shannon Salvestrin and winemaker, Natalie Winkler comes this fashionable and dark-toned Dr Crane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Heady black fruit aromatics are charged with wet river stone, pulverised rock minerality, sagebrush, and cigar box. Full-bodied with enticing boysenberry and black cherry notes atop massive beams of fine-grained tannins. Long, powerful, and totally pleasing. (Drink between 2023-2035)

93 Points - James Suckling:
Aromas of ripe purple fruit with savory herbs, dried flowers, dried citrus peel and chocolate. Full-bodied, deep and structured with succulent fruit and firm, chalky tannins. Lingering finish. Try from 2025.

92 Points - Wine Spectator:
Sedate in style but well-defined and alluring, with a caressing feel to the mix of plum and boysenberry puree notes, joined by light violet, sweet bay leaf and singed vanilla accents. Picks up a nice tug of earth through the finish. Drink now through 2035. 939 cases made.