The 2006 Kobalt Cabernet Sauvignon (92% Cabernet, 2% Petit Verdot, 4% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc) is similar to our 2002. The nose is a deep and enticing blend of sweet berry, coffee, accentuated with wild spices that gush out of the glass. In the mouth, layers of rich, vibrant raspberry, blueberry, and spicy vanilla notes surround assertive yet ripe tannins. Cassis and coffee notes interact with the supple tannins for a beautiful long, lingering finish. We recommend 4 û 6 years of bottle aging.

Nick's Pick for Winemaker to Watch!

Beyond this being purely fantastic wine, this Cabernet also rates a "Nick's Pick" for the hands on care that the proprietor, Kevin Carriker, extends towards his craft. Kevin hand sells this wine, he is the winery owner and operator, and the marketer. With only 20 barrels of this wine made, this Cabernet will go extremely fast. Kevin Carriker began his days of wine enthusiasm in our own backyard falling in love with Beaulieu Vineyards Cabernets while working in Yosemite National Park in the 70's. Now, 35 years later, after traveling the world to improve his craft by way of hands-on-hard-work, Kevin remains down-to-earth and goes out of his way to make sure to include Fresno in his release efforts and has an affinity to this area due to his enchantment with the wilderness and especially with Yosemite Valley.

90 pts from Robert Parker!

A more masculine, tannic, structured offering is the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of flowers, black raspberries, and blackberries are followed by a rich, full-bodied, big, concentrated wine that can stand up to the tannic ferocity. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring, and drink it over the next 20 years. It may merit an even higher score in 4-5 years. - Reviewed in Dec 2008

92-94 pts from Robert Parker Barrel Sampling!

The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is possibly the best wine yet produced at Kobalt. The wine has an opaque bluish/purple color and a sweet nose of toast, chocolate, blackberry, and cassis with some charcoal in the background. Ripe, dense, full-bodied, with massive richness, high tannin, but enormous length, this wine needs 2-4 years of bottle age and should keep for 25+ years.

This limited production offering of approximately 400-450 cases of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is made by consultant Mark Herold for proprietor Kevin Carrikar. Virtually all of the Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the cool-climate, higher elevation vineyards in NapaÆs sector of Coombsville.