Cabernet Sauvignon

(no tasting note available)

The 2008 Howell Mountain is fabulous. Blackberries, savory herbs, graphite and mint are some of the nuances that are woven together in a fabric of notable class and sheer personality. The tannins are quite firm and suggest the... Read More

The 2009 Proprietary Red Howell Mountain wraps around the palate with masses of blue and black fruit, smoke, tar, incense and licorice. A dense, resonant wine, the 2009 stands out for its extraordinarily vivid fruit and equally... Read More

While I am not surprised that the 2001 Thorevilos turned out to be perfect, the 2001 Madrona Ranch was more of an eye-opener in that it has become even more extraordinary than I predicted eight years ago. A prodigious wine, with... Read More

The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Madrona Ranch is an extraordinary wine that has a European structural profile imposed on the incredibly rich, pure fruit of Napa. Incense, creme de cassis, licorice, toasty oak, and spring flowers are... Read More

Abreu's first venture with Cabernet Sauvignon was from the Madrona Ranch, which is essentially the lower hillsides of Spring Mountain, just northwest of St. Helena. The dense purple-colored 2006 Madrona Ranch (55% Cabernet... Read More

The 2008 Madrona Ranch opens with an incredibly expressive bouquet. Espresso, mocha and licorice meld into dark red fruit and sweet exotic spices in this superb wine. The 2008 is an extraordinarily polished, refined wine for the... Read More

The first release from the 20-acre Thorevilos Vineyard (co-owned by David Abreu and Ric Forman) is the 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Thorevilos, a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. It is a dense,... Read More

The single-vineyard offering from Thorevilos is usually a blend of 80-85% Cabernet Sauvignon with a good dosage of Cabernet Franc added to finish out the wine, and occasionally a touch of Petit Verdot. This pure, steep hillside... Read More

The 2004 Thorevilos (200 cases) exhibits a deeper purple hue, and the nose is more restrained and closed than the Madrona Ranch's. It offers up hints of minerality, earth and spice. The wine hits the palate with lots of richness... Read More

The 2006 Thorevilos exhibits an extraordinary floral aroma backed up by scents of blueberries, blackberries, espresso roast, and an incredible liqueur of rocks-like component. The compelling floweriness, blue and black fruits,... Read More

The 2007 Thorevilos is monumental, and stands out as one of the most singular and greatest Napa red wines I have ever tasted. An expansive fragrance of subtle barbecue smoke intermixed with graphite, blueberries, espresso, white... Read More

As outstanding as all the Abreu wines are, if I had to choose one that stands apart from the others it would be Thorevilos. The 2008 Thorevilos is the most complete and deeply satisfying of Abreu's 2008s because the balance... Read More

The 2009 Thorevilos displays a stunningly blue/purple color along with an exceptional nose of blueberry and blackberry liqueur intermixed with espresso, white chocolate and violets. With unbelievable intensity, a great, full-bodied... Read More

The 2010 Thorevilos seemed more tannic and backward than the 2009, which is somewhat of an anomaly in my tastings of these two vintages. Lots of espresso roast, white chocolate, blueberry, black raspberry and floral aromas jump... Read More

(no tasting note available)

Once again, the 2012 Thorevilos struts its enormous potential. A deep purple color is accompanied by wonderfully sweet blueberry, blackberry and cassis fruit intermixed with notes of licorice, spring flowers and forest floor.... Read More

On solid footing, this is firm, tight, intense and focused, with a vibrant mix of zesty, earth-laced dark berry, cedar, crushed rock and subtle tobacco leaf notes. Best from 2020 through 2032.-JL