98pts Wine Advocate, Lisa Perrotti-Brown

Opaque purple-black in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Expedition erupts from the glass with explosive scents of boysenberry preserves, blueberry pie and Black Forest cake, plus suggestions of molten chocolate, licorice, tar and violets, with a waft of sandalwood. The full-bodied palate is full-on rich and decadent, exuding layer upon layer of opulent black and blue fruit preserves with bags of exotic spice accents and a long, fragrant finish. Pure hedonism. It is tantalizingly delicious right now, but give it 3-4 years in bottle to blow off that puppy fat, and drink it over the next 25 years+.

Winemaker Notes

The 2019 Seven Apart Summit is defined by black cherries, licorice, wet granite, and high-mountain underbrush. These complex aromas and flavors combine to create a unique expression of our vineyard and a pure representation of the vintage. The texture is solid but smooth, with a mouthwatering palate impression, and a long, confident finish.

2019 was a vintage full of energy. The wines have an inherent brightness, focus, and precision. The grapes from our Stags Ridge Vineyard, on the top of Atlas Peak, produced wines with dark, expressive power and an unapologetic sense of place. For the Seven Apart Summit blend, we selected from two of our most compelling vineyard blocks and returned the assemblage to 100% new French Oak barrels for a total of 22 months of aging. The effect is a concentrating of the aromas and flavors, and a polishing of the Atlas Peak tannins, which are quite structured. 

Winemaker : Andy Erickson