I fondly remember my last trip to Cardinale several years back. Set on a highly scenic location, Cardinale has a patio that boasts sweeping views of the valley. It is truly one of the great spots in Napa to taste wine. This is a spot where world-class hospitality matches the quality in the glass.
The wines by Cardinale have been seriously great and incredibly consistent. While the price tag is high, I have absolutely loved not only the richness and flavor density of the wine but the bright acidity that makes this wine age so gracefully for decades. Located on the Napa floor, in Oakville not far from Robert Mondavi Winery, Cardinale offers a comparison tasting at the winery as you can see how beautifully the wines age. The Cardinale Red Wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon based wine with smaller parts of Merlot blended in. At the helm is Chris Carpenter, is an MBA graduate who has previously worked for Domaine Carneros, Domaine Chandon California, as well as Tenute Antinori, Santa Cristina Estate, in Montefiridolfi, Italy, before coming to Cardinale. Chris is humble when talking about his wines. He is truly one of the great talents of Napa.
I was lucky enough to attend a stunning tasting of Cardinale at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York a few years back. Chris talked about the aging potential of these wines, that are rich but highly structured with a great combination of power and finesse. The new release is simply magical and has so much aging potential. The 2019 Cardinale Red Wine (OB, 97) is powerful and polished with a massive core of dark fruits and coffee grounds. It is a hedonistic monster of a wine that really needs time in the cellar right now. I think this beauty has potential to age for twenty five plus years. Learn more about these beautiful wines at http://www.cardinale.com/ and here is my tasting note for the gorgeous new 2019 Cardinale Red Wine.
2019 Cardinale Red Wine- The 2019 Cardinale Red WIne is a stunning effort by winemaker Chris Carpenter. Needing two plus hours in the decanter to fully develop, the wine leads with layers of toasty oak and blackberry compote that mingle with dark chocolate covered Arabica bean, and huckleberry cordial notes. With more air the beautiful aromas become more intoxicating. Once on the mouth you sense the core being beautifully textured and structured, with firm tannins holding everything together. Rich anise, and black currants amalgamate with espresso grounds, and creme de violette, with copious minerals. Try to avoid consuming this beautiful wine for at least another year. Drink 2024-2048- 97