Bennett Lane 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

93 Points

Bennett Lane is a relatively recent addition to the landscape around the village of Calistoga. Its strongest suit is pure, bold, mouth-filling Napa Valley cabernet, and there is no finer example of that than the 2005 vintage. It delivers a gorgeous nose of ripe cassis, with a hint of cedar and vanillin. The texture is slightly grippy in the most positive sense, and there is tremendous fruit lift through the mid-palate. This is a darkly fruited cabernet of uncommon depth, with exceptional palate length and persistence of flavor. And it's supple enough to enjoy tonight, though this is one Napa cabernet I wouldn't hesitate to lay down for several years.