St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon Reviews

Clean, pure and aromatically complex, with tiers of dark berry, cherry, plum and spice flavors. Seamless for its age, yet finishes with dusty, fine-grained tannins. Best from 2020 through 2030. 

Raymond's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena emerges from a vineyard on the southern edge of town, where the wines tend to be radiant and flashy. That is exactly what comes through here. Super-ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, spice and new leather all flesh out in this voluptuous, racy Cabernet Sauvignon. This is one of the better wines in the range. Silky tannins add to the wine's considerable appeal. The 2015 finished with enough substance to suggest it will drink well for many years to come.

A wine I was able to taste twice, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection St. Helena saw an extended maceration and roughly 20 months in 70% new French oak. It offers classic Cabernet red and black fruits, cedar wood, graphite, and tobacco, and is medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and has plenty of structure. It’s approachable today but should be better in 2-3 years and keep for 10-15.

Plum fruit, sweet spices, eucalyptus, vanilla and blueberry cake show on the nose. Full-bodied with grainy tannins, a fine line of acidity and a chewy finish. Drink in 2019.

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon St Helena District Collection opens with a deep garnet-purple color and a savory/meaty nose of smoked bacon, earth, crème de cassis and incense with suggestions of cinnamon stick, cloves and dried flowers. The full-bodied mouth is velvety and well balanced with plenty of expressive, subtle flavor layers and a long, earthy finish.