Joseph Phelps Backus Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville (2016)
Vintage
Retail Price (inc. GST) (750ml)
Per Bottle: $694.43
Out of Stock
Wine Profile
Vinous
Robert Parker Wine Advocate
James Suckling
Aroma Note
Winemaking Notes: Each block at Backus Vineyard remains separate during picking and fermentation. The complexity of this vineyard can be highlighted through the fruit and depth found in the North and Plateau blocks paired with the structure and concentration in the steep hillside fruit grown in the South block.The 2015 and 2016 vintages expresses rich red and dark fruit, fragrant violets, rose petals, graphite and black tea aromatics. A wine of great distinction, it melds power and structure with freshness and elegance in seamless layers of ultra-concentrated blueberry and black cherry with hints of baking spices and cassis to a lengthy finish.BLEND AND GRAPE SOURCES88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot from our Backus Vineyard in Oakville, Napa Valley **Limited edition bottles, each bottle is numbered. Must have for your cellar. (Joseph Phelps equivalent of Screaming Eagle)
Wine Profile
Region
:
California, Napa Valley
Classification
:
None | American Viticultural Area
Appellation
:
Oakville
LWIN
:
1122965
Vinous
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is sensual, creamy and super-expressive. Black cherry, plum, mocha, dried flowers and lavender are some of the many notes that flesh out. I am surprised by how accessible the 2016 is. In the early going, the Backus Cabernet can be quite imposing. The 2016, on the other hand, is pure sensuality.
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot, aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak and bottled in Jan 2019. Deep garnet-purple colored, it charges out of the gate with bold blackberry pie, black currant pastilles and warm blueberries notes with touches of menthol, mocha, cardamom, iron ore and cinnamon stick plus a waft of black olives. The full-bodied palate delivers mouth-coating black and blue fruits with a vast array of earth and spicy sparks, framed by firm, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and mineral laced. 2000 cases were made.
Shows very ripe fruit and excitement on the nose with dark berries, blueberries and pine-needle undertones. Full-bodied, firm and chewy with a solid and rich finish. Seriously structured red here. Try it after 2022.
Chocolate, vanilla, black currant, cedar, pepper and high tannins Cabernet Sauvignon is the jet setter of grapes. It travels all over the world, but being a late bloomer, it thrives in warm climates. When it matures, it is famous for intensity and depth of taste, balanced with a solid acidity due to the gentle ripening.The tiny, thick-skinned grape is packed with flavour, dark blue colour and tannins. Grown all over the world, the flavours vary. In France, it is often blended with the softer Merlot or the cooler Cabernet Franc, and is usually a bit higher in acidity.In the southern spheres, su
About this WINE
The Producer
Joseph Phelps Oakville: Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned and operated wine estate with vineyards and wineries in Napa Valley and on the western Sonoma Coast. The winery was founded in 1973 by Joseph Phelps, a successful construction executive and entrepreneur whose early interest in wine led him to establish vineyards on a 670-acre former cattle ranch in Napa Valley. Over the next 42 years Joe became one of the most respected figures in the California wine industry, building Joseph Phelps Vineyards into a critically-acclaimed winery internationally known for its iconic wines and unwav...
Joseph Phelps Oakville: Joseph Phelps Vineyards is a family-owned and operated wine estate with vineyards and wineries in Napa Valley and on the western Sonoma Coast. The winery was founded in 1973 by Joseph Phelps, a successful construction executive and entrepreneur whose early interest in wine led him to establish vineyards on a 670-acre former cattle ranch in Napa Valley. Over the next 42 years Joe became one of the most respected figures in the California wine industry, building Joseph Phelps Vineyards into a critically-acclaimed winery internationally known for its iconic wines and unwavering commitment to quality.Joe’s son, Bill Phelps, joined the family business in 1998 after a successful career in law, and as Executive Chairman now oversees Joseph Phelps Vineyards with a continued dedication to excellence. The winery’s Board of Directors includes Joe’s daughters, Leslie, Laurie and Lynn. In 2016, third generation family members Elizabeth Neuman, Director of Business Development & Marketing, and Will Phelps, the winery’s Director of Hospitality & Consumer Sales were appointed to the winery’s executive management team. Today, the Phelps family is committed to maintaining and nurturing Joseph Phelps Vineyards as a family-owned and run winery and to extending the extraordinary legacy of its founder, Joe Phelps.
The Region
There are several reasons for Napa Valley's global renown as a wine region. Most obvious is that the wines are produced to high standards, in a popular style, and are very well marketed. Then there is the region's accessibility from San Francisco. This draws millions of wine tourists to the valley each year to sample its wines and world-class gastronomy. And no less important (even after almost four decades) is the triumph of Napa Valley wines over their rivals from Bordeaux and Burgundy in the 1976 Paris Judgement. Wine has been made in Napa Valley since the 19th Century, but it is only since...
There are several reasons for Napa Valley's global renown as a wine region. Most obvious is that the wines are produced to high standards, in a popular style, and are very well marketed. Then there is the region's accessibility from San Francisco. This draws millions of wine tourists to the valley each year to sample its wines and world-class gastronomy. And no less important (even after almost four decades) is the triumph of Napa Valley wines over their rivals from Bordeaux and Burgundy in the 1976 Paris Judgement. Wine has been made in Napa Valley since the 19th Century, but it is only since the 1960s that wine of any particular quality has been produced. The founding pioneers of Napa Valley winemaking were George C. Yount, and John Patchett and his winemaker Charles Krug, founder of the eponymous winery. Also of note are the Beringer brothers Jacob and Frederick, whose Beringer Vineyards (est. 1875) is one of California's oldest continuously operated wineries and features on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Robert Mondavi, who established his winery in 1966, is considered to be one of the pioneers of Napa's modern wine industry, as well as being one of the first proponents of varietal labeling.The range of grape varieties grown in the Napa Valley has evolved steadily over the 150 years since Yount planted his first vines. Cabernet Sauvignon has risen confidently to become Napa's star performer and is the most widely planted grape in almost all of the valley's sub-regions. The notable exception to this rule is Carneros, whose cool, breezy microclimate is better suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Merlot is also prominent, although since its fall from favor in the 1990s it is now used mostly as a blending component for Napa's Meritage wines and Bordeaux blends. Although it represents only a small proportion of the valley's vineyard area here, Zinfandel remains significant in the Napa wine portfolio. Hillside sites above the valley floor provide exactly the kind of warm, dry environment in which Zinfandel (California's signature variety) performs best, particularly on rocky, free-draining slopes.White wines are strongly outnumbered here, but play a valuable supporting role, bringing an element of diversity to the valley. Once upon a time, Riesling was the variety of choice but has now been replaced almost completely by Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.Climate, geology, and topography are three essential components that make Napa Valley such a first-rate viticultural area. The combined influences of San Pablo Bay and the hills of the North Coast Ranges are responsible for the valley's very particular Microclimate. The bay generates morning fog, and the hills channel it inland, up into the valley. Without this fog that comes rolling in from the bays, the valley's climate would be substantially warmer than it is, making it difficult to achieve structure and balance in the wines. The fog doesn't reach the higher parts of the valley, however, leaving these to rely on the cooling effects of altitude to keep their vines in balance. Winery, offering summertime concerts and year-round tastings. The region is also famed for its gourmet food, showcased in the stalls of Oxbow Public Market in the city of Napa.
