Titus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Beautifully balanced and wonderfully layered and complex, the 2020 Titus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.5% Petit Verdot, 7% Merlot, 4.5% Malbec) embodies Titus’ distinctive poise. Regally robed in purple, the 2020 Titus Cabernet Sauvignon offers tantalizing aromatics redolent with Bing cherry, black berry, and plum. Vibrant in the mouth with delicious dark cherry and berry fruits wedded to rich cacao and black tea flavors, the 2020 Titus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is already a delight to drink. Add hints of baking spices and cigar box to the wine’s beautiful fruit and fine grained tannins, and it’s easy to see how Napa Valley and Bordeaux converge in Titus’ multi-layered 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink this rich, complex Cabernet Sauvignon now at cool room temperature (58°-62° F) after at least 30 minutes of aeration. Better still, let additional bottles rest in the cellar to enjoy for up to a decade or more. Anticipated maturity: 2023-2035. Enjoy!

The 2020 Titus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon offers the best of Napa Valley along with the panache of Classified Bordeaux, which makes it an ideal wine to bring to table. Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cabernet or Port Wine Sauce provides a classic accompaniment to this wine. Duck Breast with Blackcurrant Sauce makes an equally splendid partner to Titus’s 2020 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Prime rib of beef and grilled rack of lamb, served with truffle and thyme infused mashed potatoes and haricots verts, provide compelling accompaniments, too. Sautéed veal medallions topped with a port wine demi-glace and served with a ricotta cheese, wild mushroom and pancetta manicotti makes another splendid companion. However, minimalists may prefer a variety of the world’s finest cheeses, including Comté, Gouda, Havarti, Port Salut, Saint Albray, and other richly flavored cow’s milk cheeses, in the company of the delightful 2020 Titus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Bon Appétit!

Located along Napa Valley’s famous Silverado Trail just north of St. Helena, Titus Vineyards lays claim to 40 acres of historic vineyards and one of America’s most iconic winemakers, Phillip Corallo-Titus. Phillip and his brother Eric Titus are 2nd generation guardians of this historic family owned and farmed vineyard, which now features one of Napa Valley’s newest and most innovative wineries. The Titus brothers’ tremendous work ethic and attention to detail have resulted in numerous 90 and 100 point scores for their artisan wines. Titus’ enviable portfolio includes award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah and reserve offerings, including the estate’s highly sought-after Lot 1, a rare blend of Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Zinfandel.

In addition to fashioning world class wines at Titus, Phillip Corallo-Titus has been the winemaker at Chappellet and the man responsible for Chappellet’s meteoric rise and multiple 99 and 100 point scores for its wines. In recognition of Phillip’s consistent ability to make extraordinary wines, Wine Spectrum named Phillip Corallo-Titus 2018 Winemaker of the Year.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most widely cultivated of the world’s noble red grape varieties. For centuries it was thought to be an ancient varietal, but DNA studies conducted in the 1990s revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon is not nearly as old as was once thought. Moreover, what is even more startling is that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the offspring of Cabernet Franc (a red variety) and Sauvignon Blanc (a white variety).

The origin of Cabernet Sauvignon has traditionally been attributed to Bordeaux, where it holds court with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and, in rare instances, Carmenère. The combination of any three or more of these varieties is what is known in Europe as the Bordeaux Blend or in California and elsewhere as a meritage selection. Some evidence also suggests that northern Spain, just south of the Pyrenees, may lay legitimate claim to being an original site of the planet’s most important red grape variety as well. However, Bordeaux rightly claims to be the disseminator of this noble red grape because it’s from Bordeaux that Cabernet Sauvignon has traveled the world far and wide.

In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is the heart and soul of the finest Médoc wines and a leading player in nearly all of the finest red wines of Graves. Châteaux Haut-Brion, Margaux, Latour, and Lafite are all Cabernet Sauvignon based wines. However, even in Bordeaux appellations where Cabernet is King, it is usually blended with Merlot and/or other traditional Bordeaux varietals. By nature, Cabernet Sauvignon is a thick skinned grape that requires a longer maturation than most red grape varieties, which makes blending it a natural choice in winemaking regions such as Bordeaux where climate conditions are variable.

In general, Cabernet Sauvignon thrives under warm, even hot, semi-arid conditions, which is one reason why this noble variety has been extensively and successfully cultivated in Argentina, Australia, California, Chile, South Africa, Spain and elsewhere. In particular, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys a privileged place in American viticulture, and it is unquestionably California’s most prestigious red varietal, both in consummate quality as well as price. California’s Napa Valley is generally acknowledged to produce the New World’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon with neighboring Lake and Sonoma counties and Paso Robles approaching Napa Valley in stature. In addition, Argentina, Australia, Chile, South Africa, and Spain also fashion world class Cabernet Sauvignon, and the list is sure to grow.

In flavor profile Cabernet Sauvignon can vary considerably, depending upon climate and terroir. However, blackberry and blackcurrant (often referred to as cassis) flavors are most often associated with this premium variety. Earthy and herbaceous aromas, such as cedar, eucalyptus, graphite, and tobacco are also common. Moreover, of all the world’s red grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon has the greatest propensity for successful ageing. Cabernet Sauvignon also contains high amounts of antioxidants and resveratrol, which makes Cabernet Sauvignon one of the most healthful of all wines. Enjoy!