By Sterling Vineyards
2015 Platinum Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Description
Sterling Platinum wines bring to life true varietal expressions crafted for welcomed approachability, balanced with age-worthiness, giving life to the notion that these wines are always polished and never dull. Platinum expresses the depth, precision, and intensity that is uniquely Napa Valley, testimony to the Sterling tradition of outstanding varietally focused Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, among the finest in Napa Valley.

Vintage and Vineyards
The 2015 growing season was marked by pleasant weather with little pressure from heat spikes or unseasonable rain. A dry winter, common recently, was quickly followed by an equally dry spring, leading to an early bud break and fast start to the growing season. Warm weather continued throughout late spring and summer, allowing for the steady and sure development of flavors. The overall quality, complexity, and balance in the vines produced exceptional fruit. The impact of the continuing drought was evident in slightly lighter crop loads, but the reduction in size was offset by an increase in quality as vineyard crews carefully selected fruit at harvest, allowing for only the finest fruit to be selected for Platinum wines. Cabernet Sauvignon is the signature variety of the Napa Valley, and the appellation excels in producing outstanding examples of this admired varietal. Napa Valley offers an ideal combination of topography, geology, and climate that enables Cabernet Sauvignon to reach optimum ripeness, balance, and finesse. And within the valley, there are exceptional vineyards and sub-appellations that produce some of the finest expressions of this noble grape - truly Platinum worthy. For 2015, winemaker Harry Hansen has selected notable lots from vineyards spanning key Napa Valley growing regions, including the Meigs Vineyard in Wooden Valley, Moore Ranch in Napa Valley, Sleeping Lady Vineyard in Yountville, and a trio of notable Calistoga vineyards, including Bear Flats, Barlow Ranch, and BV Ranch 12. The vineyards offer soils ranging from clay loam to tufa, with a variety of clones, exposures, and ages.

Winemaking
The fruit was hand-harvested and hand-sorted, selecting only the highest quality fruit for fermentation in stainless vessels. The fruit was allowed to ferment for up to 15 days with regular pump-overs to extract deep color and rich flavors. The wine was then gently pressed, racked, and aged for 19 months in a combination of 50% French (50% new) and 25% each American and Hungarian oak. Barrels are COF toasted medium/medium+ from a mix of coopers, including Gamba, Remond, Taransaud, Allary, and Quintessence. Individual barrels are aged separately and are tasted frequently before the final selection of only the most compelling candidates for Platinum.

Tasting Notes
Platinum is a wine designed to bring a singular thought to life: great wines come from great vineyards, and never so much as when the winemaking and winegrowing teams work hand in hand to carefully nurture the finest fruit toward a well-rewarded harvest. In 2015, Platinum Cabernet exhibits the purity of fruit expression, polished tannins, and rich texture that are the essential signature of this rich, full-bodied wine. In this vintage, the wine is showing more red fruits than previous vintages, with slightly sweeter vanilla tones from the American oak. Tannins are well developed, framing a wine with great structure and balance. Classic Napa Cabernet notes of mocha and cassis join Bing cherry accented with pepper and oak spice, caramel toffee, and layered flavors that leave a lasting, subtly sweet impression.

Wine Details
Sourcing: Napa Valley
Varietal Composition: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot, 6% Malbec
Aging: 19 months in 50% in French oak (50% new), 25% in American oak, 25% in Hungarian oak
Alcohol: 14.90%
TA: 6.00 g/l
pH: 3.64
[Information provided by Treasury Wine Estates]

STERLING VINEYARDS CABERNET SAUVIGNON NAPA VALLEY PLATINUM 2015
Friday, May 3, 2019
Country: United States
Region: California
Vintage: 2015
Score: 92
A floral Cabernet with pressed violets, fresh blackcurrants, hay and black licorice. The palate has a pretty, herbal edge to it, as well as firm tannins, bright acidity and a medium-chewy finish. Drink now or hold.

Sterling Vineyards, Platinum Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa valley 2015
Blind tasted by Dave Allen, Stephen Brook, Terry Kandylis (at Decanter Magazine's December 2019 Californian Cabernet 2015 Panel Tasting, London, 17 Sep 2019)
Points: 90
Drinking Window: 2021 - 2037
Producer: Sterling Vineyards
Vintage: 2015
Wine Type: Still
Colour: Red
Country: USA
Region: California
Appellation: Napa Valley
Sweetness: Dry
Closure: Cork
Body: Full
Grapes: 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 6% Merlot
Very toasty nose, ripe blackberry and black cherry fruit. Suave and rich, concentrated and succulent, this has good weight of fruit and density.

2015 Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon Platinum
Producer: Sterling
From: USA, California, North Coast, Napa Valley
Color: Red
Type: Table
Sweetness: Dry
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Rating: 90
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Issue Date: 29th Oct 2018
Source: Mid-October 2018 New Releases, The Wine Advocate
Drink Date: 2018 - 2028
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Platinum is blended of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Merlot and 6% Malbec aged in 50% new French oak, 25% American oak and 25% Hungarian oak for 19 months. Deep garnet-purple colored, it leaps from the glass with creme de cassis, blackberry pie and kirsch notes with hints of cigar box, underbrush and black pepper. Full, concentrated and firmly packed with earth-laced black fruits, it has a chewy frame and savory finish.

STERLING Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Platinum 2015
Score: 89
Country: United States
Region: Napa
Issue: Dec 31, 2019
Rounded and open in feel, with cherry and plum compote notes laced liberally with toasted vanilla and dark licorice details. The toasty edge holds sway on the finish. Drink now through 2023. - JM