2013 Switchback Ridge
Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Peterson Family Vineyard
Wine Profile
- Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Harvest Dates: September 30, October 1, 2
- Alcohol: 15.5%
- Length & Type of Aging: 16 months; 100% French Oak
- Bottling Date: May 6, 2015
- Number of Cases Produced: 1,015
- Release Price: $90.00
A rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with a beautiful expression of power and grace. Sweet black cherry and cassis aromas continue on the palate with a flood of mouth filling viscosity and gentle tannins. An incredibly lush mid-palate leaves an impression of berry, all-spice and chocolate covered cherries, leading to a long, velvety finish.
- Bob Foley, Winemaker
Rich and gutsy, with a seam of elegance and refinement that lets the juicy plum, blueberry and wild berry flavors shine amid a dense core of earth notes and chewy, herb-tinged tannins. Drink now through 2030.
– Jim Laube, WineSpectator, November 30, 2016 - 91 points
– American Fine Wine Competition, 2017 - GOLD MEDAL
2012 Switchback Ridge
Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Peterson Family Vineyard
Wine Profile
- Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Harvest Dates: October 19, 20, 29
- Alcohol: 15.5%
- Length & Type of Aging: 16 months; 100% French Oak
- Bottling Date: May 8, 2014
- Number of Cases Produced: 898
- Release Price: $90.00
Intensely concentrated and beautifully layered with ripe black cherry fruit with hints of blueberry and creme de cassis. A rich, complex core floods the palate with cherry pie, espresso and melted licorice, leading to a long, endless finish. A powerful, yet graceful wine.
- Bob Foley, Winemaker
As difficult as it may be to believe, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Peterson Family Vineyard may be even better than the Merlot. Glorious notes of forest floor, black currants, blackberries, mocha and espresso emerge from this full-bodied, majestically concentrated wine boasting an expansive, broad texture, stunning purity, a 50-second finish, enormous body, and no sense of overbearing, over-ripeness or heaviness. Alcoholphobes should not be concerned about the wine's 15.5% alcohol content as there is not a trace of heat in the fresh flavors. Drink this beauty over the next 10-15 years.
– Robert Parker, eRobertParker.com #215, October 2014 - 96 points
2011 Switchback Ridge
Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Peterson Family Vineyard
Wine Profile
- Composition: 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petite Sirah
- Harvest Dates: October 22, 23, November 1
- Alcohol: 14.9%
- Length & Type of Aging: 16 months; 100% French Oak
- Bottling Date: May 2, 2013
- Number of Cases Produced: 1,200
- Release Price: $85.00
Intoxicating aromas of violets, melted licorice, and spice draw you in to this beautifully balanced Cabernet. Ripe black cherry and black currant flavors with a touch of bittersweet chocolate, are perfectly framed by fine tannins and vibrant natural grape acidity. This Cabernet is enjoyable in its youth and will bottle age gracefully for decades. - Bob Foley, Winemaker
Good, deep red-ruby. Perfumed aromas of currant, espresso and smoky, nutty oak, plus a hint of prune. Suave, dense and juicy, showing a milk chocolatey quality that reminded me of Merlot. Plenty of sweet oak here but has enough supporting currant fruit. – Steve Tanzer, May/June 2014, 90 points
2010 Switchback Ridge
Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Peterson Family Vineyard
Wine Profile
- Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Harvest Dates: October 19, 20, 29
- Alcohol: 14.5%
- Length & Type of Aging: 16 months; 100% French Oak
- Bottling Date: May 3, 2012
- Number of Cases Produced: 1,096
- Release Price: $85.00
Bing cherry-like fruit aromatics introduce a harmony of black fruit aromas, thoroughly ripe without a trace of over-ripeness. Initial flood of fruit on the palate gives way to gently gripping tannins that coat the palate, with lingering berry, chocolate and coffee bean suggestions.
- Bob Foley, Winemaker
Deftly balanced, with an enticing mix of light, mocha-laced oak and a core of dark berry. Supple-textured, featuring notes of dusty earth, cedar and crushed rock, this ends with a long, sustained finish. Drink now through 2022
. —J.L., Wine Spectator, 12 Impressive Napa Cabernets: New reviews of outstanding bottlings from the 2010 vintage, Posted: September 9, 2013, 91 points
Good bright, dark red. High-toned aromas of crushed cassis, cocoa powder and licorice. Silky and elegant on the palate, with ripe, intense flavors of cassis, coffee bean and minerals underpinned by strong acidity. Lovely mid-palate lift here. Finishes with notes of licorice and fennel and serious tannic clout. From a blend of two blocks: mostly clone 7, which gives the wine its black fruit element and muscle, and some 337, which contributes bright acidity and more aromatic red fruits.
– Steve Tanzer, Issue 168, May/June 2013, 91(+?) points
2009 Switchback Ridge
Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Peterson Family Vineyard
Wine Profile
- Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Harvest Dates: September 29, 30 & October 18
- Alcohol: 15.5%
- Length & Type of Aging: 16 months; 100% French Oak
- Bottling Date: May 25, 2011
- Number of Cases Produced: 1,216
- Release Price: $80.00
Red cherries, blackberries, cassis, currants, licorice, spice, cocoa powder and a hint of black pepper–this Cabernet is jam packed! A very dense wine with great tannin framework and a monster mid-palate.
- Bob Foley, Winemaker
Firm and muscular, with dense, rich dark berry, currant and blackberry fruit that’s complex, layered and tannic, yet with a supple edge and a long finish of melted black licorice. Drink now through 2024
. —J.L., Wine Spectator Insider, September 2012, 92 points
2008 Switchback Ridge
Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Peterson Family Vineyard
Wine Profile
- Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Harvest Dates: September 14, 17 & October 18
- Alcohol: 15%
- Length & Type of Aging: 16 months; 100% French Oak
- Bottling Date: June 11, 2010
- Number of Cases Produced: 1,020
- Release Price: $80.00
Big, ripe cherry pie, is accentuated with black cherry aromas and berry and camphor spice on the palate. A soft mid-palate with gripping Cabernet framework finishes with toasty oak and bright acidity.
- Bob Foley, Winemaker
Put this Cabernet in the cellar for a while. It's dry and very tannic, yet dramatically rich in blackberries, currants, anise biscotti and smoky oak. A complex, classically structured young wine that should develop through 2018.
Cellar Selection. - S.H., Wine Enthusiast, July 2011, 94 points
An elegant, stylish wine, medium-to full-bodied, with a tight, firm, complex mix of black fruit, black licorice, cedar and floral scents, ending with supple, fine-grained tannins. More refined than this typically is. Best from 2012 through 2021.
- J.L., Wine Spectator, November 15, 2011, 91 points
2007 Switchback Ridge
Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Peterson Family Vineyard
Wine Profile
- Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Harvest Dates: September 26, October 2 & 11
- Alcohol: 15.9%
- Length & Type of Aging: 16 months; 100% French Oak
- Bottling Date: June 10, 2009
- Number of Cases Produced: 1,079
- Release Price: $80.00
Rich and flavorful, with tiers of plum, black cherry, mocha, herb, cedar and dill. Full-bodied, focused, pure and well-structured, gaining nuance and substance on the finish, where the flavors sail on and on, ending with black licorice and raspberry touches. Best from 2011 through 2021.
- Jim Laube, Wine Spectator, 8/25/10, 94 points
Opaque purple with lots of creme de cassis, creosote, charcoal, blackberry, and espresso roast, this wine again has a chocolatey edge, full-bodied flavors, and loads of fruit, depth, and power. Drink over the next 15+ years.
- Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, Issue #186, Dec. 2009, 92+ points
2006 Switchback Ridge
Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Peterson Family Vineyard
Wine Profile
- Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Harvest Dates: October 12, 30 & November 8
- Alcohol: 15.7%
- Length & Type of Aging:16 months; 100% French Oak
- Bottling Date: June 11, 2008
- Number of Cases Produced: 942
- Release Price: $80.00
Vanilla candy and cherry aromas; tons of structure, toasty oak, espresso and a chocolate mid-palate lead to fine tannins and a glorious, long finish.
- Bob Foley, Winemaker
Beautiful aromas of sweet blackberries, cassis, forest floor, and spring flowers jump from the glass of this full-bodied, opulent, moderately tannic wine. Its textured, layered mouthfeel displays no aggressiveness. Drink this beauty over the next 10-15 years.
- Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, Issue #180, Dec. 2008, 92 points
2005 Switchback Ridge
Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Peterson Family Vineyard
Wine Profile
- Composition: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Harvest Dates: October 18, 25 & November 1
- Alcohol: 15.7%
- Length & Type of Aging: 16 months; 100% French Oak
- Bottling Date: June 2007
- Number of Cases Produced: 1,084
- Release Price: $78.00
More backward, but still accessible is the inky/purple-colored 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Peterson Family Vineyard. A sensational perfume of melted licorice, black currants, smoked meats, underbrush, and toasty oak are followed by blackberry liqueur-like flavors. This is a powerful, full-throttle, concentrated Cabernet to consume over the next 15+ years.
- Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, Issue #174, Dec. 2007, 95 points
