Cardinale & Lokoya

Cardinale & Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon

from Oakville - Napa Valley - California, United States

Cardinale

  • Winemaker’s Notes

    The 2012 Second Flight offers up floral, blue and black fruit, mocha and white chocolate characteristics. It possesses full-bodied, silky flavors, and a very long finish.

    97 points James Suckling

    This is very structured with ripe and silky tannins that shows a dense and compacted fruit character. It's full and racy. Impressive tone and form.

    96 points Wine Advocate

    Very deep garnet-purple color, the 2012 Second Flight has an enticingly savory nose with notes of smoked meats, yeast extract, tapenade and truffles over a core of crème de cassis and plum preserves plus a touch of Indian spices. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated in the mouth, it has firm, velvety tannins and plenty of background freshness supporting the generous fruit, finishing long and spicy.

    Blend: 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc

  • 97 points James Suckling

    Very bright and aromatic with dark purple fruits on the nose. Mint, floral and vine bark. Spearmint. Full body, very firm tannins, wonderful savoriness. Flavorful finish. A fabulous mouthfeel. Very, very long. Mostly merlot with cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.

    96 points Wine Advocate

    Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2013 Second Flight simply sings of spiced blueberries, black forest cake and preserved plums with suggestions of star anise, baker’s chocolate, fertile loam and dried Provence herbs with a hint of lavender. Big, concentrated, full-bodied and packed to the gills with black fruits, exotic spice and floral layers, it has a firm frame of grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing with epic length and loads of layers. Still very taut, it needs at least another 2-3 years in bottle. Interestingly, this full-on hedonistic vintage has one of the largest Merlot contributions ever for this wine.

    Blend: 65% Merlot with 13% Cabernet Sauvignon 22% Cabernet Franc

  • 97 points James Suckling

    Intense blackberry and blueberry aromas with hints of fresh mushrooms. Black truffles, too. Full-bodied, tight and chewy with polished and velvety tannins. Long and muscular finish. Energetic.

    96 points Wine Advocate

    Very deep purple-black, the 2014 Second Flight is a little closed at this youthful stage, offering glimpses of blueberry compote, blackberry pie and cassis notions with touches of garrigue, bay leaves, black truffles, rose hips and underbrush plus a hint of wood smoke. Medium-bodied, the palate delivers wonderful freshness, with very firm, very finely grained tannins and layers of vibrant black fruits, finishing on a profound minerally note. With this vintage, we can see something of a stylistic departure, offering an expression of Merlot that is bright, refreshing, elegant and perfumed, and it is perhaps more similar to Screaming Eagle in terms of style than it has ever been. Beautiful!

    Blend: 57% Merlot and 43% Cabernet Sauvignon

Lokoya

  • 99 points James Suckling

    Extremely floral and aromatic with violets and lavender throughout. Black olives, too. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, very fine-grained tannins that run the length of the wine. Goes on for minutes. A greenish undertone comes out at the end with some spearmint, green tea and green olive. About two-thirds merlot.

  • 98 points Decanter

    Screaming Eagle’s ‘The Flight’ is positively gorgeous in 2020, leading with a plethora of perfumed violets and wild herb notes intermixed with graphite and cedarwood spices. Mediym-bodied offering a purity of redberry fruit flavours redolent of cranberry and raspberry alongside dark cherry, all framed by tantalising acidity. The crunchy red fruit is balanced by a dazzling minerality, opening up to reveal blood orange, brown spices, spearmint, and pops of lovely blue floral notes. Broad tannins build in stature on the long, sanguine finish.

    98 points James Suckling

    Aromas of blackberries, red and black currants. Green olives, too. Dark roses and perfume. Medium-bodied with super crunchy energy and brightness. Very fine tannins. Elegant and precise. So subtle and complex, it’s really something.

    Blend: 65% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc

  • 98 points James Suckling

    Blackberries and blueberries, together with hints of chocolate and violets. So perfumed. Some bark, too. Medium body with freshness and length. The tannins have a fine, velvety texture and wonderful length. Very structured. Lightly chewy. Lasts for minutes.

    97 points Vinous

    The 2021 The Flight is built around a core of Merlot from old vines on cobbly soils at the front of the property. From barrel, the 2021 was quite sensual, perhaps deceptively so. This recent tasting of the finished wine from bottle reveals a powerful, dense Flight packed with dark-toned fruit, leather, tobacco and incense. In many vintages, The Flight is accessible young, but the 2021 is a wine for the cellar. It is one of the best and most complete editions I have tasted. There’s a fair amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend and quite a bit more Franc than usual, which contributes to the wine’s personality and overall feel.

    Blend: 65% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon

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