When you visit any wine region there are certain stops that become classics for one reason or another. In Napa Valley, V. Sattui Winery is one of those places that people return to again and again. In addition to some tasty wines they welcome large groups and have a diverse deli section available to pick up cheeses and other snack foods. They offer picnicking on their grounds and a wide variety of wine tasting options. In short V. Sattui is an incredibly warm and welcoming place to visit. V. Sattui’s history goes back 125 years. It has been in place at its current St. Helena location since 1975. To this day it’s a family owned and run winery. Today I’ll look at one of their single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons.
The V. Sattui Winery 2007 Vittorio’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was produced using Napa Valley fruit exclusively sourced at the namesake vineyard. In addition to Caberet a small dollop of Merlot (less than 3%) is part of this wine. Fermentation occurred in stainless steel. The wine was all barrel aged in French oak; half of the barrels were new and the other half were previously used. 931 cases of this selection were produced and the price for this wine is $35.
Leather, dark berry and plum aromas fill the nose of this 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Fleshy dark fruit and sweet red berry notes intermingle through the palate which is intense, layered. Full flavored and very well proportioned. Earth, pencil lead, baker's chocolate, chicory and mineral characteristics all emerge on the finish which is rather lengthy. Solid acidity and finely ground but yielding tannins are part of the solid backbone of this offering.
This Cabernet is a little tight out of the bottle, but about 45 minutes of air in the decanter really allows this wine to blossom and express its many charms. This selection is really quite tasty now but it’ll improve in the bottle over the next few years and drink well for the next 6-8 at minimum. A classic example of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a solid value to boot