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2017 IL BARONE, Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Our Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from our top vineyards throughout Napa Valley, and shows dense flavors of dark berries, baking spice, and powerful, structured tannins. An exceptional Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with excellent long-term aging potential.

ACCOLADES

• Jeb Dunnuck (96 Points)

"The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Il Barone (there's 5% Merlot in the blend) is a selection geared to be a rich, powerful wine and it succeeds admirably, offering full-bodied richness and depth, awesome tannin quality, no hard edges, and a complex notes of black and blue fruits, Asian spices, chocolate, and earthy, forest floor nuances. It's another brilliant wine in this lineup."

• Wine Enthusiast Magazine - Cellar Selection (94 Points)

"This big, plush, black-fruited wine is the top of the line for Napa Valley's “castle winery.” It has a soft power, wrapping superfine tannins around deep, dark blueberries and black-currant flavors that saturate the palate with ripeness. Tempting oak spices from cinnamon and nutmeg to toast and graphite come up in the aroma and coast all the way through the finish. Best through 2032." - Jim Gordon

• Wine Spectator (92 Points)

"Ripe, rounded and warm in feel, with cassis and cherry puree notes laced with alder and sassafras hints. Built on acidity as much as tannin, too, which gives it a nice feel through the finish. Drink now through 2031."

• Double Gold Medal - San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

"There were over forty-eight judges, representing various North American wine regions, evaluating 5,816 wines from nearly 1,000 wineries for the 2022 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition."

8 Review(s)

*96 Points Jeb Dunnuck*

Wine Specs

Vintage

2017

Varietal

96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot

Appellation

Napa Valley

Harvest Date

October 6, 2017

Acid

6.3 g/L

3.58

Aging

20 Months in 60 gallon Allier and Center of Bordeaux French oak, 90% new oak

Bottling Date

August 1, 2019

Residual Sugar

DRY

Alcohol %

14.9

Wine Spectator

Wine Enthusiast

Wine Profile

Tasting Notes

Enticing notes of black cherry, cassis, and dark chocolate with hints of savory spices, this full-bodied wine displays polished tannins and an elegantly balanced mouthfeel. Excellent now but can age well for over a decade.

Ratings

96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck - The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Il Barone (there's 5% Merlot in the blend) is a selection geared to be a rich, powerful wine and it succeeds admirably, offering full-bodied richness and depth, awesome tannin quality, no hard edges, and a complex notes of black and blue fruits, Asian spices, chocolate, and earthy, forest floor nuances. It's another brilliant wine in this lineup.

Awards

Wine Enthusiast Magazine - Cellar Selection (94 Points) - "This big, plush, black-fruited wine is the top of the line for Napa Valley's “castle winery.” It has a soft power, wrapping superfine tannins around deep, dark blueberries and black-currant flavors that saturate the palate with ripeness. Tempting oak spices from cinnamon and nutmeg to toast and graphite come up in the aroma and coast all the way through the finish. Best through 2032." - Jim Gordon

Vineyard Notes

A blend of the Castello's top high-end Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards from the best growing regions of Napa Valley. The majority of the fruit comes from the Rutherford AVA, a region famed for producing beautifully structured and complex Cabernet Sauvignon.

Production Notes

Winter provided a record-breaking rainfall - a welcome end to the 4-years of drought. Bloom and fruit set in May occurred under ideal conditions – no frost, no rain and no blistering winds to interfere with pollination; just warm sunshine. Summer was warm but the vines weathered the heat well and maturity moved along at a steady pace. A short but intense heat wave during the first part of September brought brix levels up dramatically and winemakers waited for the pH, acids, flavor and color development in the grapes to catch up to sugar accumulation. The 2017 wine quality shows a lot of bright acidity and fresh varietal aromas in the white wines, and deep color, sweet fruit flavors and firm tannin structure in the reds. Looking like it will be another classic year! —Brooks Painter, Director of Winemaking

Winemaker Notes

Il Barone is a very flavorful, elegant and structured red wine in the style of high-quality, very limited-production, fine Cabernet Sauvignon wines from the Napa Valley. Excellent long-term ageing potential.

Food Pairing Notes

Pair with foods as bold as the wine, such as roast game meats, grass-fed steak, or grilled portabello mushrooms with reduced balsamic vinegar glaze.

Production

Limited Production

Other Notes

Product Reviews

Blanca Medina

(Mar 15, 2022 at 2:36 PM)

This wine is extra addicting is the best way I can describe it. A great smooth exquisite taste of spice and can best compliment a steak or even just alone as I myself had it. It’s definitely my most favorite Cabernet wine at this moment :)

David Larson

(Mar 24, 2022 at 9:38 AM)

Best cab I’ve had. Don’t typically like this style but very much enjoyed this. Bold and acidic but not too heavy or overwhelming.

Kathy Hu

(Apr 10, 2022 at 11:34 PM)

Good wine

Howard

(May 19, 2022 at 12:53 PM)

Amazing

Alex McGraw

(Sep 7, 2022 at 3:45 PM)

Dark fruit, plum, and extremely complex. Absolutely Devine

Stefan Badescu

(Oct 11, 2022 at 12:04 PM)

Now this one is quite something... Bold, smooth, aromatic, long lasting palette... Full body... Fantastic wine

Richard Chehovin

(Nov 6, 2022 at 11:09 AM)

Visited the vineyard in September. Best variety of cabs I have ever seen. After tasting it, I was in love. If u are a cab lover, this is the vineyard u need to go to. Ask for Paolo. An Italian immigrant who really knows wines. Left there with a huge wine order to restock my cellar.

Jeff West

(Dec 1, 2022 at 1:41 PM)

Last week I received my latest order which included the 2017 vintage of Il Barone. While I like good wine and am willing to pay for it, I've never considered myself a wine expert. I can never taste the 'loamy earth' and 'wet sweat socks' etc. the professional wine tasters use so eloquently to describe the wines they're tasting.

Pretty much any vintage of Il Barone has been my favorite wine for quite awhile now. However I have to say, the 2017 vintage takes it to a whole other level! It has to be the best wine I've ever tasted. I don't know how to describe it like the professionals but I can sure tell a difference.

My compliments to all involved at Castello di Amorosa!