Frazier Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Frazier Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Had this over the weekend. For my tastes, one of best California Cabs I’ve had in quite awhile. Great nose of currants, black fruit and a bit of dusty chocolate. Deep garnet in color with blackberry, chocolate and a very nicely balanced oak / vanillan essence on the palate. The balance of the wine belies the 24 months in French Oak claims. Very nice finish. Nicely structured with firm, but silky tannins. 88.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, 2.5% Petit Verdot.
A super wine @ around $50.00. A little higher than my normal price range, but the wine is good enough for me to buy a few more bottles for later. Went really well with a grilled rib-eye.

Richard

[Jenise]

Frazier Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Had this over the weekend. For my tastes, one of best California Cabs I’ve had in quite awhile. Great nose of currants, black fruit and a bit of dusty chocolate. Deep garnet in color with blackberry, chocolate and a very nicely balanced oak / vanillan essence on the palate. The balance of the wine belies the 24 months in French Oak claims. Very nice finish. Nicely structured with firm, but silky tannins. 88.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot, 2.5% Petit Verdot.
A super wine @ around $50.00. A little higher than my normal price range, but the wine is good enough for me to buy a few more bottles for later. Went really well with a grilled rib-eye.

Richard

03 Napa cabs seem to be in a really good place right now. Frazier isn't a producer I've heard of before, though. Know anything about them?

Jenise,

The wine was recommended by the merchant. Apparently its from a cooler area of Napa?….I pulled this quote from the website:

“ The Frazier Estate is perched high on a hill in the Coombsville area of the Napa Valley. In 2006 this area of Napa, previously under the broad Napa Valley AVA, was submitted to the TTB for consideration as its own unique appelation. This new area would be called Tulocay and at this time is still pending approval.”


Here is the website though.

http://www.frazierwinery.com/home.html

Richard

Thanks for the notes on this. They came to the local WineStyles, and I liked the Cab (but not the Merlot, strangely enough, which was very "candied" in character).

This area east of the City of Napa (Coombsville and the southernmost end of Silverado Trail) is imho a great place for more restrained, "European" palate wines (if I can call it that). Frazier is restrained, and I really like Tom Farella's wines at Farella-Park. I mentioned Bighorn Cellar's 2001 Cab from the same area, and Beaucanon, owned by a family of Saint Emillion origins, made a killer 2000 Reserve Cabernet. The Carrefour Cab Franc was fantastic in its liveliness and elegance.

A great off-the-beaten track winegrowing area!

I first encountered Frazier Cabernet Sauvignon at a California barrel tasting put on by Bassin's in DC. I liked the Cab and since it was priced below most of the others, I ordered two bottles (I think it was the 2002, perhaps not as shining a year as 2001.) The lady pouring the wine said it was in eastern part of Napa Valley.