Season of Giving Donations: ZD Wines donated 50% of winery retail proceeds in the month of December to UC Davis Endowment for a Non-toxic Cure of Lymphoma.
Total Donation Amount in December was $86,543.93 » Donations in kind: $2,650.
ZD Wines Cabernet Sauvignon
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Learn about ZD Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Winemaking,
or enjoy one of our Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Pairing Recipes.
$50
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, - Buy Now
Napa Valley
The grapes were sourced from several small Napa Valley vineyards, each with its own unique “terroir”, giving us a varied palette of flavors and textures to work with when blending this wine. Each vineyard lot was hand harvested and fermented separately. Hand punchdowns in our small fermentors gives us a gentle extraction without aggressive tannins. Aged in our cellar for two years in American oak barrels, this wine is drinking beautifully now and will age gracefully for many years to come. Aromas of ripe dark plums, cassis and black cherries are complimented with subtle hints of cocoa, anise, tobacco and sweet, toasty vanilla. On the palate, lush, silky tannins envelop a solid core of ripe, forward black fruit, with perfectly integrated oak.
-Chris Pisani, Winemaker
$50
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, - Buy Now
Napa Valley
The grapes for this Cabernet Sauvignon were sourced from several small, low-yielding Napa Valley vineyards, each with its own unique “terroir”, giving us a varied palette of flavors and textures to work with in producing this wine. Aged for two years in American oak barrels, this wine is drinking wonderfully now and will age gracefully for many years. With aromas of crushed blackberries, red plum, cassis and tobacco, this wine is layered with complexity from start to finish. full bodied on the palate, the core of ripe fruit is enveloped by velvety tannins and the oak is integrated beautifully, with hints of vanilla, toasted nuts and spice that linger on the long, rich finish.
-Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- 3 Stars - Decanter, December 2008
- Best of Class Gold Medal - New World International Wine Competition, 2008
- Gold Medal - Tasters Guild
- 4 Stars - Excellent - Restaurant Wine January/February 2008
- Highly Recommended - California Grapevine, February/March 2008
$125
2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, - Buy Now
Napa Valley
The 2005 ZD Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon represents another example of our commitment to producing powerful cabernets that also exhibit an elegant balance and distinctive style. With ZD’s organically farmed Rutherford Estate as the core, this wine is a blend from several small low yielding hillside vineyards in the Napa Valley. Each vineyard lot was fermented and aged separately for one year before blending. The final reserve blend was then returned to barrel for an additional two years of “rest” in American Oak barrels. Savoring the intense aromas of ripe blackberry, cassis and plum, and subtle notes of clove, anise and sweet vanilla is an absolute joy. Deep, ripe black fruit is enveloped in soft, velvety tannins that carry extraordinary fruit flavors through to a long, seductive finish. This wine is drinking great right now but will age beautifully for many years to come. Only 800 cases produced! Enjoy!
-Chris Pisani, Winemaker
$67
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, - Buy Now
Napa Valley
An early budbreak and unseasonably warm spring temperatures gave our Cabernet vineyards an excellent start in 2004. A long, moderate growing season, with above average temperatures late in the season led to balanced crops and excellent maturities. The grapes for this Cabernet Sauvignon were sourced from several small, low-yielding Napa Valley vineyards, each with its own unique “terroir”, giving us a varied palette of flavors and textures to work with in producing this wine. Each vineyard lot is hand harvested and fermented separately in small open top fermentors. Hand punch-downs and careful tasting when deciding to press ensures a gentle extraction without overly aggressive tannins. Aged for two years in American oak barrels, this wine is drinking beautifully now and will age gracefully for many years. An intense aroma of black cherries, cassis, and plum is complimented by subtle hints of cocoa, tobacco and sweet, toasty vanilla. On the palate, soft tannins envelop a solid core of ripe, forward black fruit, with perfectly integrated oak. Enjoy!!
-Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- 4+ Stars - Restaurant Wine 2006
2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, - unavailable
Napa Valley
With its powerful aromas of black currant, spicy blackberry and plum, this 2004 ZD Reserve Cabernet is a great example of what turned out to be an exceptional vintage. The core of ripe fruit is enveloped in lush, velvety tannins, and hints of toasty vanilla, clove and anise add to this wines complexity. The grapes for this wine are from several small, low yielding vineyards in the eastern hills above Napa Valley. These vineyards produce small clusters with intensely fl avored berries. Careful winemaking practices and three years in American oak barrels ensure a delicate balance of fruit, tannin and oak. 2004 was a light crop year for many of our Cabernet vineyards, and as a result we produced fewer than 500 cases. Enjoy!!
-Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- Very Highly Recommended - California Grapevine Dec. 2007 - Jan. 2008
- 91 Points - Connoisseur’s Guide December 2007
$70
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, - Buy Now
Napa Valley
This 2003 vintage is yet another example of ZD’s commitment to producing powerful yet balanced Cabernet Sauvignon with a distinctive style. The grapes for this Cabernet Sauvignon were sourced from several small Napa Valley vineyards, each with its own unique “terroir”, which gives us a varied palette of flavors and textures to work with in producing this wine. Each vineyard lot was hand harvested and fermented separately. Hand punchdowns in our small fermentors gives us a gentle extraction without aggressive tannins. Aged for two years in American oak barrels, this wine is drinking beautifully now and will age gracefully for many years to come. An intense aroma of blackberries, cassis and dark plums is complimented with subtle hints of anise, tobacco and sweet, toasty vanilla. On the palate, silky tannins envelop a solid core of ripe, forward black fruit, with perfectly integrated oak. Blackberry, plum, spice and toast linger through an amazingly long finish. Enjoy!!
-Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- 90 Points - California Grapevine February-March 2006
- One Puff - Connoisseurs' Guide April 2006
- 4 Stars - Restaurant Wine May 2006
- Gold Medal - California State Fair Wine Competition 2006
- Gold Medal - Hilton Head Wine Festival 2006
- Gold Medal - Monterey Wine Competition 2006
- Gold Medal - Grand Harvest Awards 2006
$150
2003 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, - Buy Now
Napa Valley
This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of our best Napa Valley lots from the 2003 vintage. The 2003 Reserve Cabernet is a stellar example of how the art of blending vineyards can produce a wine that has surpassed its individual parts. After three years of “resting” in 60 gallon toasted American Oak barrels, an intriguing wine balanced with complexity, and depth of flavor has emerged. Only 678 cases of this wine were produced in 6pk wooden lay-down boxes. The 2003 vintage, our 35th Anniversary, shows beautifully at this point and will continue to age gracefully for many years to come.
-Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- 4 Stars - Quarterly Review of Wines Summer 2006
- Highly Recommended - California Grapevine Dec. 2005/Jan. 2006
$76
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - Buy Now
This 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is an excellent follow-up to the fabulous 2001 vintage. Following ZD’s signature style, each vineyard lot was hand harvested and fermented separately in small open top fermentors. Hand- punching gives us just the right amount of extraction, without the aggressive tannins. Aged in our cellars for two years in American oak from five different cooperages, and bottled in July 2004, this wine is a blockbuster! Dark and dense, this wine is packed with complex aromas of cassis, plum, tobacco and spice, with plenty of toasty vanilla, and just a slight floral note. On the palate, the ripe black fruit, toasty oak and big yet supple tannins integrate beautifully into a long, memorable finish. You can expect this wine to age gracefully for many years to come.
-Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- Gold Medal "Best of Class" - Pacific Rim International Wine Competition 2005
$200
2002 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, - Buy Now
Napa Valley
2002 reflects yet another fantastic growing season for ZD’s premiere vintage Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes come from several small, low yielding Napa Valley vineyards. Each vineyard lot was hand harvested and fermented separately in small open top stainless steel tanks. The wines were gently punched down three times a day to give us excellent extraction without overly aggressive tannins. After almost one year in barrel as individual lots, the wines were then blended and returned to barrel for an additional two years of aging in our state of the art cellars. This wine was bottled in July 05, with only 850 cases produced. The wine has a rich, intense nose of blackberry, cassis, and plum fruit with subtle hints of vanilla, toast and caramel. The balance is structured yet elegant, with soft, silky tannins and a surprisingly long toasty finish. This wine is drinking beautifully now, but you can expect this wine to develop for many years to come. Enjoy!!
-Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- 4 Stars - Quarterly Review of Wines Summer 2006
- Highly Recommended - California Grapevine Dec. 2005/Jan. 2006
$80
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - Buy Now
Mother nature rewarded us with perfect growing conditions in 2001. A stunning example of what Napa Valley Cabernet can be in a perfect vintage, this wine has it all!! The nose is reminiscent of crushed blackberries, cassis, anise, vanilla and spice. A slight hint of earth and toasted nuts add to the complex aromas. Wonderfully balanced on the palate, the silky tannins wrap around the core of ripe dark fruit, and the oak is integrated beautifully, leading to a smooth, lingering finish.
-Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- 4 Star "Highly Recommended" - Decanter June 2004
- 91 Points - Wine & Spirits Magazine August 2004
- 91 Points - Wine Enthusiast Magazine October 2004
- Double Gold Medal - SF Chronicle Wine Competition 2004
- Double Gold Medal - Taster's Guild International Wine Competition 2004
- Gold Medal - Press Democrat's "North of the Gate" Wine Competition 2004
- Gold Medal - International Eastern Wine Competition 2004
$220
2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, - Buy Now
Napa Valley
Reflecting the fantastic growing season of 2001, this is ZD’s top of the line vintage Cabernet Sauvignon. All of the grapes from the winery’s low yielding (1 ton per acre) Rutherford Estate Vineyard, as well as fruit from several other small, low yielding Napa vineyards are included in this deeply concentrated wine. What more can be said that hasn’t been said already about the stellar 2001 vintage. Following three years of barrel aging in small American Oak barrels the wine was bottled in July 2004 and released in October. Plum, cassis and black berries make up the core of ripe fruit in this wine, with notes of anise, toasted nuts and spice rounding out the nose. The balance is structured yet elegant, with an amazingly long toasty finish!
- Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- 92 Points - Wine Spectator May 05
- 92 Points "First Place" - California Grapevine Oct/Nov 04
- 91 Points - The Wine News Feb/March 05
- 90 Points - Connoisserus' Guide April 05
$85
2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - Buy Now
The 2000 ZD Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon offers seductive aromas of cassis, black cherry, cedar, clove and sweet vanilla. On the palate, surprisingly soft, lush tannins complement the lively cherry, plum, vanilla and currant flavors that give this wine its distinctive elegance and depth. The wine finishes long and smooth with a final hint of toasty oak.
- Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- Gold Medal - Consumer Tasters Guild 2003
- Gold Medal - International Eastern Wine Competition 2003
- Gold Medal - Riverside International Wine Competition 2003
$240
2000 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, - Buy Now
Napa Valley
With almost three years in toasted American oak barrels, this wine was bottled in July, 2003. Only 700 cases were produced.
The wine has a rich, complex aroma with hints of cassis, black berries, plum, tobacco and vanilla. On the palate, ripe forward black fruit predominates and lingers through the finish. The texture is structured yet elegant, with soft, silky tannins, and a long toasty aftertaste.
- Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- Gold Medal - Dallas Morning News Wine Competition 2004
- Highly Recommended - California Grapevine Dec03/Jan04
$90
1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - Buy Now
The 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon has a beautiful deep garnet color and an incredibly inky texture. The aromas are expressive and bold with an overall bouquet of blackberries, white pepper, toasty oak and a surprising note of jasmine. This wine fills the mouth with powerful structure and flavors reminiscent of black cherries, plums and molasses with a lingering smoky finish. Enjoy this wine for years to come; it is a stunning example of California Cabernet Sauvignon which will most certainly develop beautifully with some bottle age.
- Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- Double Gold Medal - 2002 Tasters Guild International Wine Judging
- 90 Points - Wine and Spirits December 2002
- 88 Points - Wine Enthusiast March 2003
$260
1999 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, - Buy Now
Napa Valley
This 1999 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is a great example of a spectacular vintage. A long, moderate growing season gave us maximum time on the vine that produced intensely flavorful fruit. Our Cabernet Sauvignon was harvested from November fourth to the nineteenth. Just in time to take a break for Thanksgiving!
Each Napa Valley vineyard lot was hand-harvested and fermented separately. Hand punching in our small fermentors gave us excellent extraction without aggressive tannins. After several months of barrel aging, we selected our richest lots to be blended for this reserve wine. This final blend was aged in 60 gallon toasted American oak barrels for a total of three years in our cellars in Rutherford.
Mother Nature rewarded our patience with a rich, complex wine with hints of black berries, cassis, cinnamon, toasted nuts, and vanilla. The balance is structured yet elegant, leading to a pleasingly lasting aftertaste. Drinking beautifully now, expect this wine to develop for many years to come.
-Robert deLeuze, Winemaker
- 91 Points - Wine Enthusiast, March 2003
- 90 Points - Wine & Spirits Magazine, December 2002
$95
1998 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley - Buy Now
The 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of fruit from several Napa Valley vineyards including Spring Mountain and Atlas Peak. A high proportion of mountain vineyard fruit contributes to the intensely rich flavors and aromas that are evident in our 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon. Hints of nutmeg, allspice and dried currants prepare you for a mouthful of dark blackberry fruit with toasty vanilla oak. This wine is full-bodied, well balanced and has a long, lingering finish. Accessible now, expect this wine to become more complex with age.
-Robert deLeuze, Winemaster
$280
1998 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, - Buy Now
Napa Valley
Our 1998 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is loaded with forward aromas of cassis, blackberry, plum, clove and vanilla, with subtle hints of chocolate, tobacco and mint. This wine offers a mouthful of beautifully expressed fruit, supported by powerful yet delicate tannins and carefully integrated oak. Extended barrel aging in our cellars has allowed this wine to develop a richness, depth and complexity that are hallmarks of ZD’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine will continue to develop in the bottle for many years to come. Enjoy!
- Chris Pisani, Winemaker
- Double Gold Medal - 2002 Tasters Guild Consumer Wine Judging
