The 2019 Dana Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard is a highly acclaimed offering from the Howell Mountain appellation in Napa, California. This varietal, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, showcases an impressive depth and complexity that has garnered near-unanimous praise from wine critics. The wine is produced by Dana Estates and comes with a 15.8% alcohol content, sealed with a traditional cork.
James Suckling from jamessuckling.com awarded this wine a near-perfect score of 99 points, noting its "subtle aromas of blueberries, boysenberries and black olives, then violets and lilacs." He describes the wine as "medium-to full-bodied with extremely fine tannins that run the length of the wine," adding that it is "compact and so long. Seamless. Class." Suckling suggests that this wine will benefit from four to five years of aging to fully open up.
Similarly, Jeb Dunnuck from jebdunnuck.com also rated this wine 99 points, calling it "just about pure perfection." He highlights its "gorgeous red, blue, and black fruits, spice, smoked tobacco, and dried herbs," and praises its "full-bodied, deep, rich, powerful" profile. Dunnuck points out that, while not as structured or tannic as some other offerings, this wine "has velvety tannins and a rounded, opulent mouthfeel." He advises that it will benefit from another three to four years of bottle age and could evolve for over 30 years.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, represented by LPB, also gave a near-perfect score range of 97-99 points. The review emphasizes the vineyard's unique characteristics, describing the wine as "deep garnet-purple in color" with "notes of crushed rocks, graphite and mossy tree bark" and a "core of redcurrant jelly, wild blueberries and Black Forest cake." The review praises its "super-fine tannins and loads of earthy layers," projecting that 467 cases will be made.
Antonio Galloni from Vinous also lauded the wine with a score of 98 points, describing it as "stellar" with "remarkable density and huge power, all in a mid-weight frame." He notes the presence of "Graphite, blue/purplish fruit, menthol, sage and lavender," concluding that it remains "medium in body and supremely elegant."
Wine Spectator, with a more reserved score of 93 points, describes it as a "brawny, burly Cabernet" with a "seriously grippy structure supporting a core of roasted alder and cedar, steeped black currant, bitter plum and singed bay leaf." They recommend enjoying it between 2025 and 2037.
In summary, the 2019 Dana Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Hershey Vineyard is a wine of exceptional quality, praised for its complexity, elegance, and aging potential.