2013 Cardinale

97 POINTS

Gary Walsh - The Wine Front

Napa Valley, from a selection of sites. Mainly Cabernet Sauvignon with a splash of Merlot. It’s a USA Cabernet kind of day here at Chateau Walsh. Red and black fruits, an outward floral perfume inwardly bound by some char and mocha oak, dark spices like clove and black pepper, black liquorice – it’s all going on here. Full bodied, small berried and intense red and black fruits, firm grainy open knit tannin fans through the wine and lends a black tea strictness, black olive and mocha again, clean acidity cools and keeps it trim, and the finish is long, almost dramatic, with brighter red fruits and perfume to close. Great wine. Needs a bit of patience mind you.

97 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is simply stunning. A real head-turner, the 2013 possesses superb density and tons of pure power. The flavors are deep, powerful and explosive... This is a real stand out.

97 POINTS

Antonio Galloni MW - Vinous

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is simply stunning. A real head-turner, the 2013 possesses superb density and tons of pure power. The flavors are deep, powerful and explosive. Mocha, new leather, and licorice wrap around a core of dark, sumptuous fruit. This dense, powerful Cabernet Sauvignon will require considerable patience, but it is super-impressive. And then some. Chris Carpenter crafted the 2013 from an assortment of parcels, most of them mountain sites on Diamond Mountain, Mt. Veeder and Howell Mountain. This is a real stand out.

96 POINTS

Robert Parker - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

A brilliant wine from winemaker Chris Carpenter and the Kendall-Jackson family, this blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Merlot, mostly coming from mountain vineyards owned by the Jackson family, is fabulous. The 2013 Cardinale Proprietary Red Wine is dense purple-colored, a big, sweet kiss of crème de cassis as well as licorice, blackberry and espresso are all present in this full-bodied, rather sublime and intense Cabernet Sauvignon that should drink well for 25 or more years. This was aged in about 91% new French oak for 18-20 months prior to bottling. It is certainly one of the finest Cardinales I have tasted in my experience.

94 POINTS

Huon Hooke - The Real Review

Very deep red/purple colour. Oak, earth, humus and sousbois aromas; a trace of tomato bush. The wine is slightly less massive and forcefully structured than some of the single-appellation wines, with a soft, plush, fruit-sweet middle-palate. It finishes with a little bitterness and some extractive touches; a trace of bitter chocolate.

Wine Spectator

Aims for complexity but stumbles, as herb and savory underbrush flavors dominate the taut core of dusty, loamy earth and berry notes.