2015 Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley
Our goal with Dancing Bear is to capture the intense mountain character of fruit from this unique site; small-lot winemaking allows our winemaker to monitor extraction during fermentation, so that each lot achieves just the right balance between fruit and tannin. Aging in French oak barrels—predominantly new oak—adds depth to this remarkable wine.October 31, 2017 – Cabernet Sauvignon with an 8% splash of Cabernet Franc, the deep purple-black colored 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Dancing Bear Ranch offers a nose of crushed blackberries, blueberries and crème de cassis with cigar box, underbrush and Indian spices plus wafts of lavender and sage. Quite elegant and sophisticated in the medium to full-bodied mouth, it shows delicate flavor layers, finely crafted with a firm frame and a long finish with mineral and spice layers.February 01, 2018 – The 2015 Dancing Bear Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is a total knockout in this vintage. Composed of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc from the volcanic soils between 1,400 and 1,800 feet on Howell Mountain. It opens to seductive aromas of black cherries and dark currants with roasted coffee, toast, loam, sweet spices and hints of anise and fresh violets all taking shape in the glass. On the palate this possesses a gorgeous textural richness with remarkable balance and structure. Beautifully polished tannins lead the way as this displays excellent depth and concentration with lovely underlying acidity keeping it fresh and inviting through the opulent finish.
Dense and deeply concentrated on the palate, the wine offers intense black fruit flavors that segue into an extremely long, lush, dark-fruit finish laced with invigorating spice and mineral tones.
