Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon Reviews

Deep, dark chocolate is the hallmark of this wine all the way from the first whiff through a dark chocolate palate and to a cocoa finish. Rich, ripe blueberries, black cherries and a touch of wood smoke all play their part, but the wine’s roasted cacao character dominates, as lavish tannins and a full body expand the mouthfeel.

This has a core of cassis, plum and blackberry fruit flavors held in reserve for now, while hints of smoldering humus, roasted alder and tobacco form a complex frame. A bit burly and toasty in style; cellaring should soften this somewhat. Best from 2023 through 2035. 250 cases made.

Raymond's 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville is a very pretty, elegant wine. Crushed flowers, mint, spice and sweet red cherry give this understated, aromatic Cabernet tons of character. This is one of the most restrained wines in the range. There is plenty of Oakville charm here.

--Antonio Galloni

Ripe and forward in feel, with a mix of red currant and black cherry paste flavors, laced with vanilla and sweet tobacco. Streaks of iron and loam give the finish a solid grounding. Best from 2020 through 2032. -JM

Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville District Collection was aged in French oak, 47% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with bold notions of blackcurrant preserves, baked plums and blackberry pie with hints of mocha, black olives, bouquet garni and tar with a waft of Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate completely fills the mouth with decadent black fruit preserves flavors, framed by ripe, plush tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long with invigorating herbal sparks. 119 cases were made. -Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection Oakville shows the classic, tight, age-worthy style of the vintage. Deep purple-hued, with notes of cassis, violets, and sappy flower, it’s medium to full-bodied and has good concentration, a solid spine of acidity, and a great finish. All Cabernet from the east side of Oakville and aged in 47% new French oak, it’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep through 2038.

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville is a very pretty wine that shows the more understated side of the appellation in its mid-weight feel. Dark plum fruit, chocolate, spice, licorice and new leather all meld together in this attractive, racy Cabernet from Raymond.

-- Antonio Galloni

Solid, winey Cab with a textbook core of red and black currant paste framed with singed cedar and alder notes and scored with tobacco and warm earth notes on the finish, giving it a bit of an old school feel. Best from 2021 through 2032. 141 cases made. — JM

Aged 20 months in 44% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville District Collection sings of minted cassis, crushed black plums and black cherries with an incense and exotic spice undercurrent. The palate is medium to full-bodied with loads of spices in the mouth and a velvety frame, finishing with layers of mint and spices. 214 cases produced.

Features a mix of loamy earth, cedary oak, vivid dark berry and mocha flavors and firm tannins. A solid effort, best served by short-term cellaring. Drink now through 2029. 

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection Oakville comes from the east side of the appellation and is a fresh, pretty, perfumed wine. Blueberries, cassis, violets, incense and a kiss of graphite all give way to a medium to full-bodied, complex, silky red ideal for drinking over the coming 10-15 years.

Soft, lush and round, this wine has a dense backbone of oak and tannin and moderate acidity. Cherry cola and vanilla flavors ride along seamlessly to a toasty finish.

Boisset has a much more limited production group of wines under what he calls his District Collection Series. The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection Oakville showcases this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the eastern side of the Oakville corridor. Bottled unfined and unfiltered after spending 19 months in 53% new French oak, the wine has an opaque purple color, a big sweet kiss of Christmas fruitcake, cedar wood, unsmoked cigar tobacco, blackcurrants, licorice and graphite. It exhibits outstanding intensity, impressive purity and a long, full-bodied finish. Drink it over the next 15-20 years.

Offers a broad, rich array of dense flavors, centered on blackberry, licorice and oak. The tannins extend the flavors and offer more dimensions, drifting into smoke and mocha details. Best from 2018 through 2028.
–JL
 

There are only 120 cases of the 2012 Oakville District Collection (100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Clones 4 and 337). A very good effort, it offers spicy, underbrush, red and blackcurrant, and toasty oak notes. Drink it over the next 7-8 years. - Robert Parker