Blueberry skin, English pipe tobacco, fresh blackberry. Cherry cordial, cool granite, ripe black currant. Perfumed rose and violet, crushed cardamom and clove. Dark fruit emits its weightless essence from a cohesive body containing eucalyptus, baking spices, and lava rock. Velvet tannin creeps in subtly during a long finish guided by clean refreshing acidity. A cold mocha latte poured out onto wet asphalt after rain. This 2015 "My Park Bench" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon by Staura Cellars is delightfully focused and restrained surprise from a warm Napa vintage.

California's Napa Valley saw a string of drought vintages from 2012-2016. Minimal rainfall and scorching sunshine generally created concentrated wines of immense size and power. This bottling, crafted by Staura Cellars, has managed to maintain a refreshingly weightless and balanced feel despite the warm vintage it hailed from. Expansive California-style black fruit leads the charge but is not left to fend for itself. Rather, a supporting cast of floral tones, baking chocolate, and earth chime in to achieve completeness. Never syrupy and light on its feet, this wine is an excellent food friendly achievement. Composed of 87% Cab sauv, 6% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% each of Cab Franc & Malbec sourced from various vineyards throughout the valley.