2015 Lail Vineyards, J Daniel Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Case of 6 btls

RP98+ "Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 J Daniel Cuvee bursts forth with gregarious blackcurrant pastilles, black cherries and warm plum notes backed up by notions of spice cake, mocha and licorice. The full-bodied palate is powerfully fruited with opulent exotic spices accenting the black forest cake notions, framed by plush tannins and finishing with epic length. A beautifully buxom showstopper!" LPB for TWA Oct 2017

JD98+ "The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvee is an inky, full-bodied, majestic Cabernet Sauvignon that should be a candidate for perfection in a decade. Black currants, the essence of blackberries, crushed rocks, gravely minerality and charcoal all emerge from this incredible, full-bodied, massive wine that’s still backward and tight. Brought up in 80% new barrels, forgot bottles for 3-4 years and enjoy over the following 2-3 decades. Bravo! Run by Robin Lail, with the winemaking handled by the incredibly talented Philippe Melka, Lail Vineyards has produced two beautiful 2015 Cabernet Sauvignons, with the Blueprint release being a terrific value as well. The top J. Daniel Cuvee is always 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and comes from sites in Howell Mountain, Oakville, and Dutch Henry Canyon. It’s a potentially legendary wine in the making in 2015. In addition to the reds, they fashion a beautiful Sauvignon Blanc that’s well worth checking out. I find most Sauvignon Blancs seemingly done as an afterthought in Napa, but that’s the case here." JD Dec 2017

LP98 "Lail’s 2015 J. Daniel Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon is deep garnet-purple in color. It explodes with ready-to-go notes of blackberry pie, stewed plums, and crème de cassis, plus hints of mocha, tapenade, and pencil shavings. The full-bodied palate is rich and spicy with plush tannins and soft acidity, finishing long with a minty lift." LPB for TWI Mar 2023

Robert Parker writes, "The profound 2015 J. Daniel Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the same sources and is again 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. However, 2015 is such a great vintage, with very low yields and incredibly ripe fruit, this wine exhibits high energy and acidity, ripe tannin framing up the enormous fruit, unctuous texture and inkiness of the Cabernet Sauvignon. This dense purple wine displays blackberry, cassis, violets, cedar wood, charcoal and subtle barbecue smoke. Superb, full-bodied, opulent and voluptuous, it is ideal for drinking over the next 25-30+ years. It is a tour de force." BT 96-100Pts
"Robin Lail is one of the true icons of Napa Valley. Her great grand-uncle Gustave Niebaum was one of the pioneers for Napa Valley viticulture as well as the founder of Inglenook Vineyards. Her family’s fascinating history dates back to 1879, and Robin can truly boast of having worked with the best professionals and superstars of Napa Valley, from Robert Mondavi and Bill Harlan to Christian Moueix at Dominus. However, she’s on her own now with Lail Vineyards and has produced a bevy of extraordinary wines with the help of her wine consultant Philippe Melka. There are two pricing tiers, with the Blueprint wines the less expensive wines aimed at consumers and the restaurant trade, and the more limited production Georgia Sauvignon Blanc and J. Daniel cuvées of Cabernet Sauvignon for connoisseurs with thick wallets." Published: Oct 28, 2016