Since the inception of Cardinale in 1982, it has been our goal to produce an age-worthy wine that stands the test of time.
We are excited to share this special release of the 2012 Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon with you. This limited release wine has been aging in our library for 10 years and is the perfect addition to your cellar, or simply to be enjoyed with friends and family.
Winemaker Christopher Carpenter crafts one Cardinale Cabernet Sauvignon each year, drawing on a selection of the most prestigious mountain and benchland vineyards to create a composition that embodies Napa Valley at its best. With every vintage, Christopher meticulously selects each component of Cardinale through a series of blending sessions until he is overwhelmingly convinced he has blended the finest wine achievable of that vintage.
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon
“The 2012 vintage was a welcomed return to excellent weather after two challenging years in a row. Optimal growing conditions enabled full fruit and tannin maturity, and the wines remain vibrant and expressive almost ten years later, and this wine is no exception. The inviting nose offers ripe cherry, Asian spice, mint and cigar box aromas, which expand into a medley of dark raspberries and blueberries on the luxurious mid-palate. With its abundant fruit and graceful oak balance, the 2012 Cardinale will continue to age beautifully for another 10 years or more.”
- DECANTING RECOMMENDATIONS : Open and decant 1 hour prior to enjoying. Swirl in a large decanter to impart more oxygen as this wine opens up over the course of several hours.
- VINEYARDS : W.S. Keyes Vineyard, Howell Mountain; Veeder Peak Vineyard, Mount Veeder; La Jota Vineyard, Howell Mountain; Clos Du Val Vineyard, Stags Leap; Spring Mountain Vineyard, Spring Mountain District ; Domaine Chandon Vineyard, Yountville; Van Z Vineyard, St. Helena; Andrew Geoffrey Vineyard, Diamond Mountain District
- COMPOSITION : 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot
- BARREL AGING : 20 months French oak, 94% new
- HARVEST DATES : September 27 – October 26, 2012
- BOTTLING DATE : August 18, 2014
- VINTAGE NO. : 31st bottling
- PRODUCTION : 2,244 cases
- AGING POTENTIAL : 2031+
“This seamless, majestic Napa Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated 2012 should drink well for two decades.”
98 POINTS Robert Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate, October 2014
“Success is achieving the freedom to do what you like to do, how you like to do it, when you want to do it, and then seeing others enjoy and appreciate what you’ve created as a result. The mountains of Napa Valley shine in their own way and Cardinale allows me to showcase the unique characteristics each has to offer through the expression of the vintage.”
WINEMAKER CHRISTOPHER CARPENTER