Description
Located adjacent to the historic DANA winery at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains, Helms Vineyard is an 8-acre site on the western side of the Rutherford AVA. The site’s deep soils include abundant riverbed gravel with decomposed remnants of an ancient seabed. Fruit from this site is richly perfumed, with beautiful plummy fruit and heady aromatics. Dusty cocoa-powder tannins have a natural softness and viscosity that lend elegant volume to the wines. Cabernet Sauvignon from Helms Vineyard is DANA Estates’ most classically styled bottling, evoking the old world wines that inspired our project.
Critical Acclaim
99 points Jeb Dunnuck
Just about pure perfection, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Helms Vineyard comes from vines around the estate, just outside of Rutherford, which were planted in 1997. Sensational notes of crème de cassis, burning embers, bay leaf, and graphite all flow to a full-bodied 2015 that has a deep, layered, multi-dimensional texture that’s hard to describe. With building structure and a beautiful floral character that emerges with time in the glass, perfect balance, and a huge finish, this quintessential Napa Cabernet will benefit from a few years of bottle age and cruise for 3-4 decades. Bravo! (01/2019)
98 points James Suckling
So much chocolate and hazelnut character with currant and berry undertones. Full body, dusty tannins and pretty, bright fruit. Tight, tannic tension and vivid, juicy fruit at the end. Drinkable now but better in 2022. (05/2018)
98+ points Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Helms Vineyard has a gregarious nose of freshly crushed black currants, black berries and mulberries with touches of red roses, Indian spices, dried mint and unsmoked cigars. Medium-bodied, fine, fresh and elegantly styled, it delivers tons of black berry and spicy layers with a fine-grained backbone and very long, lively finish. (LPB, 12/2017)
97 points Vinous
The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Helms Vineyard is still quite young and primary, with tremendous fruit purity and striking presence. Raspberry jam, spice and floral notes are front and center in this plush, beautifully resonant Cabernet Sauvignon from Dana’s home vineyard site. Cedar, sweet tobacco and earthy overtones add finesse to this gorgeous, inviting Cabernet from Dana Estates. (AG,12/2018)
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