Accendo Cellars Laurea Red Wine 2018
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Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
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Vinous
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Laurea is a new wine in this range. It is a very serious second wine, if that term can even be used here. Red cherry, plum, cedar, gravel tobacco and dried flowers are some of the many aromas and flavors that build in the glass. Next to the flagship Cabernet, Laurea has a slightly redder fruit profile and naturally a bit less intensity. Vineyard sources are Sleeping Lady, Upper Range and Diamond Mountain.
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Wine Spectator
Juicy and lively, with lots of enticing licorice snap, plum sauce and blackberry compote notes bouncing through, carried by gutsy grip through the violet-tinged finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2022 through 2032.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Laurea is a new "second" wine making its debut this year. In the spirit of the former Araujo Estate Altagracia label, Jaime Araujo (daughter of Bart and Daphne) said, "This is not just a kitchen-sink second wine. We choose wines that are still gorgeous, but just a little more up front, juicier and fruity to go into this blend
Other Vintages
2019-
Parker
Robert
Bart and Daphne have always said their best wine has yet to be made.
This was their philosophy as the proprietors of Araujo Estate and stewards of the historic Eisele Vineyard, and it is their guiding principle today with Accendo Cellars, the Napa Valley winegrowing venture founded in 2013. Inspired by the revolutionary Napa Valley wines of the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, Accendo pays homage to an earlier era and marks a beginning of a promising new paradigm: to source grapes from some of the finest vineyard sites and terroir in Napa Valley; to make a wine of balance and restraint in the style of Napa Valley’s past wines; and to produce this wine with the commitment, energy and meticulous attention to detail that have characterized their past efforts.
They are grateful to be joined by their daughter, Jaime Araujo Bézian, and son, Greg Araujo, as well as a small team of professionals they have worked with for many years, people who share their passion and, most importantly, their values. Applying what they know collectively about grape growing and winemaking, Bart and Daphne's aim is to create a world-class wine that expresses ecological diversity and focused stewardship.
For years Napa Valley has nurtured and humbled them in ways they could never have imagined. It is the hope that Accendo will shine a new light on this magical place they call home.
Undoubtedly proving its merit over and over, Napa Valley is a now a leading force in the world of prestigious red wine regions. Though Cabernet Sauvignon dominates Napa Valley, other red varieties certainly thrive here. Important but often overlooked include Merlot and other Bordeaux varieties well-regarded on their own as well as for their blending capacities. Very old vine Zinfandel represents an important historical stronghold for the region and Pinot noir is produced in the cooler southern parts, close to the San Pablo Bay.
Perfectly situated running north to south, the valley acts as a corridor, pulling cool, moist air up from the San Pablo Bay in the evenings during the hot days of the growing season, which leads to even and slow grape ripening. Furthermore the valley claims over 100 soil variations including layers of volcanic, gravel, sand and silt—a combination excellent for world-class red wine production.